Sarah Baartman District Municipality's Extravagant Expenditure Raises Alarm

In a striking case of questionable expenses, the Sarah Baartman District Municipality in the Eastern Cape has come under scrutiny for an alarming R1 million expenditure on items such as overseas travel, personal accessories, and luxury goods, while critical service delivery remains inadequate. This expense includes travel for the mayor and committee members, branded clothing, umbrellas, lavish catering, as well as gardening supplies and overpriced waste bins.

Located in a sprawling area known for its picturesque coastal towns such as Jeffreys Bay, St Francis Bay, Port Alfred, and inland gems like Graaff-Reinet and Somerset East, the Sarah Baartman District Municipality stands as the province's largest. Despite its size and significance, it has a weak revenue base, heavily reliant on grants and equitable shares from the government. The municipality's obligations include providing fundamental services like electricity, water, and refuse removal, in addition to road maintenance and disaster management.

The infrastructural condition, especially the roads within the district, has reached a critically poor state, to the point where a segment of its roads grant was sent back to the Treasury after it went unspent. This development is particularly unsettling given the municipality's support role for seven local municipalities, some of which struggle to offer essential services independently.

Among these smaller municipalities is the distressed Makana Local Municipality, which recently featured in news headlines for its service delivery crises. The revelation of the district's vast spending on non-essential items comes at a time when notices for budget cuts resonate at national and provincial government levels, calling for austerity in light of economic constraints.

DA councillor Hennie Britz has vigorously highlighted these “mind-blowing expenses” and has taken action by informing both the Eastern Cape’s MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Zolile Williams, and the National Treasury. Among the expenses, R470,000 went towards catering and groceries, R270,000 on beanies and jackets, and a shocking R165,000 on just two waste bins—far exceeding the normal pricing scale.

Criticism also extends to potential service additionality, as Britz points to an under-resourced fire service which is non-compliant with national standards. Just 16 out of 25 fire engines were operational, falling short of the required total for adequate coverage.

Furthermore, the district incurred R351,000 in losses due to unspent Rural Roads Access Management Grant funds, which followed the path back to the Treasury. The total of R1.478-million in irregular expenses supplemented by an additional R107,000 in wasteful expenditure reflects a pattern of financial mismanagement, as evidenced in the district’s latest financial statements.

While the municipality's leadership, including former Graaff-Reinet mayor Deon de Vos, has remained silent on these matters, the gravity of the situation cannot be understated. The last financial audit raised red flags around improper procurement, irregular spending, and insufficient preventative measures against uncompetitive and unfair procurement practices.

The Sarah Baartman District Municipality's tale serves as a prime example of the complex challenges faced by local governance in South Africa, where focused efforts on efficiency and transparency in the use of public funds are more crucial than ever.