MAFIKENG MAIL – SETLAGOLE: Ratlou Local Municipality formerly regarded as the trend setters in the provision of municipal services, has again proven to be among most improved municipalities in the North West province in terms of performance.
The achievement was announced over the past weekend during an event called by MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, MEC Dumile Nono Maloyi who is also responsible for Government Business in the Province.
Maloyi had summoned all municipalities in the province to a common venue in what was termed a “session with the MEC” attended by Municipalities and DWS on Conditional Grants Expenditure Performance.
In contrast to the 2022/2023 financial year, Ratlou Local Municipality under the leadership of Mayor, Councillor Matlhomola Jafta , this time around the municipality registered a major improvement as they managed to spend just over 50 per percent of their Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) in the first half of the current financial year in review.
“This simply means that the municipality is on the right trajectory with audacious appetite to regain its former glory and provide the much needed service delivery to communities”, remarked the understandably excited spokesperson of the municipality, Lesego Metsi.
He said this improvement could be attributed to both political and administrative stability that prevails at the municipal institution following the appointment of the substantive Accounting Officer, Lloyd Leoko. Leoko, who is said to believe in action, took over the baton as the new Municipal Manager in October 2023 and he is hardly three month in office and the municipality is already starting to show some improvements.
The upward trend at Ratlou was first set in motion by the former Municipal Manager, Dr Auchalie Mothupi who has since been promoted to the Bojanala District Municipality.
Ratlou is among the first top five municipalities in the Province and second in the District that have swept past the 50 percent mark of their allocation even before the end of first half of the financial year. “This is one good indicator that Ratlou shall be able to provide infrastructure develop and services to its communities”, said Metsi.
He said Ratlou Local Municipality had for the past two financial years been lambasted for being unable to spend its Municipal Infrastructure Grant. The grant is meant for infrastructure development projects as registered in the Integrated Development Plan of the municipality.
“As alluded to in the previous financial year, the municipality forfeited about R9 million rands, the money that was meant for service delivery and due to lack of spending on the MIG the money had since been returned back to treasury and this has had a negative impact in as far as service delivery is concerned:, added Mesti.
Meanwhile, Ratlou Local Municipality was announced as the number one municipality in the Province that has managed to participate in the recent Municipal Skills Audit led by COGTA in the province.
The municipality has recorded 73 percent with Lekwa-Teemane Local Municipality in the second place at 65 percent . Other municipalities reported between 57 and 0.12 percent progress in skills audit of both staff and management..Cllr Jafta applauded the Municipal Manager and the entire municipal staff for “taking this municipality to greater heights” said Metsi.
