AN internal report revealed interference in supply chain management, which caused the suspension of R87 million of the budget for 12 water intervention projects in the North West at the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality.
As a result, communities in the Ngaka Municipality have been left stranded.
The report also highlights power struggles among officials, which have led to the sabotaging of some projects and the collapse of relations among the officials.
A report dated September 16 from the Department of Water and Sanitation, addressed to the Municipal Manager and critical officials, gave insights into the power and political battles within the municipality that have negatively impacted water availability.
According to the report, the municipality's ongoing failure to address the water issue has also led to service providers demanding payments and threatening some officials. The lack of a contingency budget plan for unexpected expenses has created a financial strain.
Communities in the North West capital and surrounding areas have engaged in service delivery protests resulting from poor, slow, and unsatisfactory service delivery. Water is one of the most pressing concerns in the area.
The report accused the mayor of making unfunded commitments, leading to frustration among staff members. Staff members are held accountable for decisions made by politicians who did not consider budget constraints.
It also blamed the Chief Financial Officer, Galaletsang Moroane, for not considering submissions from the Water Services Unit. This ultimately forced the municipal manager to make decisions without the CFO's recommendations.
Other allegations included that reports on water submitted to Moroane were not presented as drafted to the council, alleging that they did not reflect the original submissions made by the relevant units.
The report delved into how the water unit department was being undermined. “That is why most purchase orders were not issued due to emotions flying high rather than following sound governance principles,” read the report.
The Water and Sanitation unit also stated in the report that there was hostility between the unit and the CFO, adding that other departments were treated better.
“We are the only unit that is issuing site instructions to contractors and submitting requests for approval as a means of contract management rather than service providers conducting work without instructions and ending up submitting invoices that are not informed. Other departments have panels of service providers; their contractors are just working and submitting paid invoices without a struggle,” read the report.
The report stated that abandoning projects and transferring unfunded capital projects could lead to several risks, including loss of control.
“Transferring projects to other institutions may result in losing oversight and control over the project’s direction, quality, and timelines. Our existence as a Water Services Authority can be questioned, which is a risk.”
Other risks included increased costs and the incomplete completion of projects, which negatively affect communities.
The Water Unit revealed in the report that they made several applications to various departments, including the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) and the Department of Water and Sanitation, seeking financial assistance; however, this had not yielded the desired results.
The Water Department recommended that all projects be completed, a committee be established for funding negotiations, and the Budget and Treasury offices offer training and capacity-building management to enhance employees' skills and knowledge in compliance with regulations and procedures.
Senior municipal officials have expressed concerns about Mayor Molefe and CFO Moroane's undermining of the SCM processes.
A source informed the Sunday Independent that the CFO was paying service providers without notifying the municipal manager as required by law.
Responding to the publication, Molefe said that he had the power to oversee the administration and that it was his prerogative to establish measures to determine how he would perform his oversight role.
“It is a prerogative of Council to decide on disciplinary of the Municipal and Senior Management, and the Executive Mayor is committed to follow and abide by the Legislation as it relates to the disciplinary process for the Accounting Officer and Senior Managers,” said the municipality’s communications manager, Lehlohonolo March.
Some political parties have criticised the municipality for lacking the capacity and skills to resolve longstanding water problems.
Keatlaretse Nko from the EFF raised concerns in June about the issue of capacity, arguing that the district, on its own, was incapacitated.
“They do not have any capacity in terms of skills, machinery, or otherwise.”
Cornel Dreyer from the DA felt that Ngaka Modiri Molema did not possess the capacity, expertise, or political will to address this situation satisfactorily.
Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister David Mahlobo has urged officials to ensure consistency and enable services to be rendered efficiently to make water available to the communities.