Monday, August 25, 2008

Mufamadi on MIG - Service Delivery?

The Democratic Alliance has called on Provincial and Local Government Minister Sydney Mufamadi to explain why funds available to municipalities in terms of the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) are not being fully utilised.

This follows an Auditor-General performance audit that "shows that municipalities are failing badly in delivering the services this fund is supposed to provide," DA spokesperson Willem Doman said in a statement on Monday.

The MIG - approved by Cabinet in 2003 - is aimed at providing basic services, including sanitation and electricity, to all communities by 2013, by financing the cost of basic infrastructure for the poor.

Doman said underspending by municipalities was compounding the situation.

"It is estimated that approximately R647-million, for the three financial years between 2004 and 2007, was not spent.

"For the same financial years there was no action plan to address the under-spending by 24 municipalities, which totalled R87,7-million."

The DA would be posing questions in Parliament to Mufamadi, who was responsible for the fund, to establish what steps he was taking to address the shortcomings highlighted by the AG, he said. - Sapa

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