Dysfunction of several Free State municipalities takes centre stage in Parliament

CAPE TOWN - The dysfunction of several Free State municipalities has been in the spotlight in Parliament on Tuesday.

This comes as the portfolio committee on Cooperative Governance probes the findings of the Auditor-General.

The committee has heard that the culture of non-payment for services in the Setsoto municipality has led to millions of rand in irrecoverable debt.

The council is hoping a three-month payment holiday for residents will help it rake in some of the money owed in historical debt.

Setsoto Mayor Seipati Mbiwe said the municipality, which includes the towns of Clocolan, Ficksburg, Marquard and Senekal, can’t just write off irrecoverable debt without trying to get some of it back.

She said residents are taking advantage of debt write-off legislation by not paying for services.

Mbiwe has told the portfolio committee that smart pre-paid water meters will be installed in all areas in an effort to get residents to pay.

"We don’t have a measure of penalising the township people if they are not paying for their services."

Meanwhile, Municipal Manager Nomvula Malatjie has confirmed at least two staff have been nabbed for selling plots to residents.

"There was one official whose services had been terminated due to a fraudulent letter of authority that was used to transfer a site."

Malatjie said another staff member has been suspended and is currently facing a disciplinary process for taking money in exchange for land.