SA Calls for Emfuleni To Be Dissolved After R640 Million Returns Unspent

• South Africans were furious after they learned that the Emfuleni Municipality returned more than half a billion in unused funds
• The municipality has been plagued with poor service delivery and has been in administration since 2018
• Calls for the mayor to step down and an investigation launched are mounting and South Africans are fed up

With over seven years at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News, Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist, offered insights into South African politics, national, provincial and local governance, the Government of National Unity, political parties and Parliament.

EMFULENI, GAUTENG — South Africans have called for the Emfuleni Local Municipality to be dissolved after it returned R640 million in unused funds.

Emfuleni returned R640m in unused funds

According to eNCA, residents of Emfuleni are fuming that money that was meant to be used for service delivery had been returned to the Treasury. The municipality's MMC of Finance, Hassan Mako, said the Treasury granted R100 million over the past few years, but the municipality has been plagued by problems. He said that in 2018 there were visible problems when they owed Eskm and Rand Water. As a result, its bank account was attached and it could not transact.

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Some of the issues the municipality is faced with include a poor refuse collection system, poor roads and potholes and constant power cuts caused by illegal connections and low maintenance.

What has been happening in Emfuleni?

Emfuleni has been plagued with issues which Briefly News has reported on in the past. In 2023, an Emfuleni municipality employee who went AWOL reportedly earned a salary since 2019 and earned R65,351 a month, including a car and cellphone allowance.

The municipality's mayor, Sipho Radebe, was held hostage in 2024 from going to work by residents who were disillusioned with the shoddy road and storm drainage infrastructure in Tshepong. The mayor eventually engaged the community and they let him go.

What did South Africans say?

South Africans commenting on eNCA's Facebook post voiced their frustrations and many called for the municipality to be dissolved.

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Samuel Nale Singo said:

"Municipal elections are coming. Think twice before you vote. Municipalities around the country exist to pass a vote of no confidence only. That's what they know and do best."

TK Vee said:

"It's time for this municipality to be dissolved. Once again, the ANC has proven itself that it cannot govern."

Phellow Kula said:

"The citizens are too related and have made up their minds to let politicians run things for them."

Wilma Pieters Swart said:

"they begged two weeks ago that they bought new garbage trucks. The trash has still not been collected for two weeks now."

solomzi Matrose said:

"The mayor must be fired. It is clear that the mayor doesn't care about our people."

Da Stu Kock said:

"Results of having a useless municipal manager."

Seboka Substation vandalised in Emfuleni

In a related article, Briefly News reported that residents of Emfuleni experienced almost two weeks without electricity in December after the Seboka substation in Sebokeng was vandalised.

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Eskom spoke to Briefly News about the incident and said the SOE is battling vandalism in communities. It urged residents to report vandalism incidents.

Source: Briefly News