National Council Of Provinces expressed concern over ELM’s lack of operation budget.

VANDERBIJLPARK - Parliament said in a statement delegates to the National Council Of Provinces expressed a serious concern about Emfuleni Local Municipality’s lack of operational budget to provide basic services to the residents. The NCOP is on a week-long oversight visit to Gauteng to inspect water, sanitation, and human settlement infrastructure to identify and help find solutions to challenges that impede provision of water and sanitation. The Chief Director of the municipality’s water and sanitation implementation utility, Mr Madoda Besani reported that the local municipality collects no revenue and that it provides services it can’t afford. A large chunk of the municipality’s budget pays Eskom debt and to keep the lights on, while other operational imperatives are unfunded. The Municipal Manager, Mr April Ntuli confirmed the municipality has no operational budget to assist with day-to day operations, and that the municipality depends on the Department of Water and Sanitation’ Section 63 intervention budget to fund its activities. The delegation bemoaned the seriousness of the challenges facing the Emfuleni municipality and undertook to escalate the matter to the provincial and National government. They recommended the intervention of the National Treasury, the Premier and the provincial government.