'It’s about time municipalities shape up': Scopa, CoGTA committee back National Treasury’s R13.5 billion funding freeze

Scopa Chairperson Songezo Zibi said it was about time the National Treasury told municipalities to shape up, as they did not think there would be consequences.

Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) Chairperson Songezo Zibi and the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) Portfolio Committee are backing the National Treasury for withholding R13.5 billion in equitable share transfers to 69 municipalities.

The transfers were withheld to instill fiscal discipline and ensure that public money is properly managed, that unauthorised, irregular, fruitless, and wasteful expenditure (UIFWE) is addressed, among other things, amid assurances of no impact on the delivery of services.

Zibi welcomed the step taken by the National Treasury.

“If anything, the National Treasury has taken too long to act against these municipalities. They need to get their house in order,” he said.