According to the DA, residents of the metro have been left without basic services in excess of R831-million and it is allegedly due to overspending by the metro. They claim reports state that as of December last year, the metro only had 25 days’ money in the bank.<\/p>\n
The DA released a statement questioning how that was possible when debt collection had increased and suppliers were still not being paid in 30 days.<\/p>
The Environmental Resource Management Department exceeded the budget by R200-m and was among those departments listed to have been called out for overspending.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile revenue is down, the metro collected four per cent more than they budgeted for electricity.<\/p>
\u201cWater, however, is R156-m or 7.8 per cent below budget.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a huge deviation that the metro needs to investigate,\u201d said Clr Bruce Reid, DA spokesperson for Ekurhuleni.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe spending of other departments has improved, with nearly all on track, except for human settlements and real estate, who have only spent 50 per cent.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a worrying sign, given Ekurhuleni\u2019s large scale housing projects that are underway,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Among the departments listed for overspending were the economic development, energy, health and social departments, who all allegedly went over budget by almost 50 per cent of the original budget given.<\/p>\n
Roads and stormwater, waste management, water and sanitation are all below 20 per cent and the capital expenditure spent R1.5-billion out of budget from the R6.4-b allocated.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn the employee side, R206-m was not spent as a result of the vacant posts that have not been filled.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe executive is again showing that they do not care about unemployment in this metro, which continues to grow daily.<\/p>\n
\u201cDespite the promises to reduce overtime, nearly all departments have spent more on overtime this year, compared to the same time last year.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere are the measures of implementation to curb this?\u201d Reid asked.<\/p>\n
The GCN contacted the metro for comment but none had been received at the time of going to press.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
ALSO READ:<\/p>\n
The metro addresses issues regarding the disconnection of municipal services<\/a><\/p>\n No clean audit for Ekurhuleni<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Have a story?<\/strong><\/p>\n Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor)\u00a0<\/span>germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za<\/a><\/strong>or Leigh Hodgson (News Editor)\u00a0<\/span>leighh@caxton.co.za<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>or\u00a0Kgotsofalang Mashilo (journalist)\u00a0kgotsofalangm@caxton.co.za<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Remember to visit the Germiston City News on the following social media platforms:<\/p>\n Facebook<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Twitter<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Instagram<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n YouTube\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Or add the GCN on\u00a0<\/b><\/span>WhatsApp 079 406 1181<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>or\u00a0BBM (BBM Pin: 7F102137)<\/strong>\u00a0<\/b><\/span>today, to get all the latest news.<\/p>\n Catch-up on more local news with our sister newspapers\u00a0<\/span>Bedfordview Edenvale News<\/a><\/strong>,\u00a0<\/span>Alberton Record<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Kempton Express<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n