The civil rights organisation AfriForum directed a formal request to the Northern Cape MEC for Cooperative Government and Traditional Affairs and the Provincial Treasury to take action against municipalities in the Northern Cape which neglected to disclose crucial municipal information to the public.
AfriForum requested the financial statements and budgets in terms of the municipal management act, as well as the management organograms for the Magareng Local Municipality, the Kamiesberg Local Municipality, the Tsantsabane Local Municipality and the Dawid Kruiper Local Municipality.
Various municipalities however neglected to supply the information, despite promises made by municipal management. AfriForum was forced to inform the provincial government of the municipalities’ neglect to supply their information.
“The information that was requested is of utmost importance for any municipality to function in a financially healthy manner. The fact that the municipalities could not even disclose the basic information, creates reason for concern from the public,” says Gonda Louw, AfriForum’s District Coordinator for the Northern Cape.
Residents of the Northern Cape can become involved with their nearest branch: SMS your name to 32532 (R1).