By Teboho Moloi
QWAQWA – Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipality employees could face another salary crisis at the end of August, with council Speaker Mandlenkosi Dlamini warning that salaries will not be paid from municipal equitable-share funds meant for service delivery.
Dlamini made the explosive declaration during an ordinary council sitting at the municipality’s headquarters on Thursday, 6 August, saying he would personally scrutinize the source of funds before any salaries are processed.
The warning comes barely weeks after MAP employees experienced delayed July salaries following the withholding of municipal funds by National Treasury.
Dlamini said the municipality must dramatically improve revenue collection if it wants to meet its monthly salary obligations.
“MM, together with all managers, you must start to see to it that you collect revenue. You must run like headless chickens and collect, or black Christmas is coming back. In this municipality, I am no longer going to allow salaries to be paid with equitable shares,” Dlamini said.
He also directed Municipal Manager Advocate Mzwakhe Mofokeng to intensify consequence management against employees accused of failing to perform their duties.
Dlamini launched a scathing attack on the municipality’s salary bill and staffing structure, arguing that MAP continues to carry employees who allegedly contribute little to service delivery while demanding their salaries at the end of every month.
He called for some employees to be released from the municipality and said the council would consider applying the last-in, first-out (LIFO) principle where appropriate.
“A lot of people must be fired or let go as they do not do what is expected from them. They are only here to collect paycheques at the end of the month but are doing nothing. We will look into applying LIFO — last in, first out,” he said.
Dlamini went further, warning that he could seek a court interdict if the municipal manager and chief financial officer attempted to use equitable-share funding to pay salaries.
MAP is reportedly spending about R63 million a month on salaries, while its revenue collection remains below R10 million. The municipality has also been criticised over the size of its management structure.
Dlamini questioned why the salary bill had failed to decline despite employees retiring, dying or leaving the municipality through dismissals.
“As for now, we look like boMampara — as if we do not know what we are doing as this council. There are a lot of questions that remain regarding the salary bill. People have gone on pension, some are dead, some have been dismissed, but the bill does not change,” he said.
Executive Mayor Tumelo Thebe backed calls for greater accountability, emphasising the need for a comprehensive audit of municipal employees, including whether staff members themselves are paying for municipal services.
Meanwhile, Mofokeng told council that some senior municipal managers were among those allegedly frustrating efforts to stabilise the municipality and were working “hand in glove” with individuals seeking to undermine its progress.
He nevertheless defended the administration’s performance, saying efforts to improve revenue collection were under way.
Mofokeng pointed to the municipality’s acquisition of new yellow fleet vehicles, other vehicles and tools of trade as evidence that progress was being made towards improving service delivery.
The latest salary warning is likely to intensify pressure on MAP’s political and administrative leadership as the municipality battles to balance its wage bill, revenue collection and basic service delivery obligations.
