Mpumalanga Finance MEC Bonakele Majuba has issued a stern warning to provincial government departments failing to pay their municipal debts, saying those responsible will face serious consequences.
Speaking during a meeting with representatives from the province’s 20 municipalities in Mbombela, Majuba addressed the dire financial state of many local councils, linking it to mismanagement and the appointment of unqualified individuals to key positions.
“It is criminal to appoint people who do not meet the qualifications,” Majuba said. “We will investigate such appointments and enforce consequence management. Municipalities must employ individuals with the necessary expertise and experience to improve service delivery.”
Majuba also warned that departments ignoring their municipal bills could see their funding withheld. He singled out the provincial Department of Public Works, which owes the Bushbuckridge Local Municipality more than R1 billion.
The municipality’s Chief Financial Officer, Thembisile Mathabatha, said the mounting debt — which includes R2 billion owed by households and businesses — is crippling service delivery.
“We’ve seen significant cuts in grant funding over the past few years. That makes it essential to recover the revenue owed to us, especially from government departments. Without it, we simply can’t provide the quality services our communities need,” she said.
Majuba’s strong stance comes as part of broader efforts to restore financial discipline and accountability in Mpumalanga’s struggling municipalities.