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·      The municipality has not forfeited grant funding to Treasury since 2021 ·      Fetakgomo Tubatse scooped two awards for not incurring fruitless and wasteful expenditure, and for sustaining unqualified audit opinion for three consecutive financial years ·      Municipality’s budget has increased from R700 million in 2021 to R1.3 billion in the 2025/2026

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Sizwe sama Yende

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The Fetakgomo Tubatse municipality in Limpopo has not forfeited any cent to National Treasury for failing to spend on planned service delivery projects since 2021.

Fetakgomo Tubatse executive mayor, Eddie Maila, said the trend would continue on the R1.3 billion budget during the 2025/26 financial year.

In the 2023/24 financial year, municipalities across the country returned just over R1 billion of conditional grants back to Treasury which they could not spend due to poor planning, contract delays and implementation processes taking longer than expected.

“When this council was inaugurated in November 2021, we took a decision that the municipality must spend conditional grants for the intended purpose and within the stipulated time. We are proud to report that up to date, the municipality has been consistently spending conditional grants as per directive and no money was ever returned to Treasury due to poor planning and non- spending,” Maila said during the State of the Local Municipality Address on Thursday.

He said that the municipality’s capacity was recognised during the 2025 SALGA Moses ‘Big Moss` Maluleka awards.

At these awards, Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality was conferred with two awards for being one of the six municipalities in Limpopo that did not incur fruitless and wasteful expenditure, and for sustaining unqualified audit opinion for three consecutive financial years and spending Conditional grants 100%.

“These awards gave testament to the commitment of sound and prudent financial management. This is an indication that Municipal funds are utilised efficiently. Our mission is to attain a clean audit opinion, and all our efforts are channelled towards that objective,” Maila said.

Maila said that the Fetakgomo Tubatse was infamous for poor planning and non-performance that led to money being returned to Treasury

“Today, we can attest that in this financial year, no money was returned to Treasury for not spending. We have committed to spend all the conditional grants at a specified time and we shall continue doing so,” he added.

He said that the municipality’s strength laid on sound and coherent financial management practises.

The municipality’s budget has increased from R700 million in 2021 to R1.3 billion in the 2025/2026. “This is due to the implementation of our Revenue Enhancement Strategy, and it is bearing fruits as collection rate is improving,” Maila said.

He said that the Fetakgomo Tubatse had attained an unqualified audit opinion -  indicating that the municipality’s clean audit strategy was functional.

The residents of Fetakgomo Tubatse, Maila said, had indicated during the Integrated Development Plan and budget consultation that they needed electricity, roads, reliable portable water supply and sanitation as priorities.  

Maila said that they also said they wanted houses and land to build homes, 24-hour primary health care, crime reduction, funding of cooperatives and small enterprises, provision of social amenities, employment and improvement of network connectivity.  

“The Municipality has prioritised some of the issues raised and some have been directed to responsible departments and entities for attention. We are working in collaboration with all government departments and social partners to address challenges within the available resources,” he said.

The approved R1.3 billion budget was drawn from equitable shares, Municipal Infrastructure Grant, Integrated National Electrification Programme, Neighbourhood Development Partnership Grant and the municipality’s own funding.

MINING HOUSES

Maila said that some of the mining houses were still reluctant to engage with the municipality and thanked those who had implemented their Social and Labour Plans.

“Our objective is on the improvement of roads and reduction of huge electrification backlog. We will engage with the mining houses to join efforts in addressing mobility and electrification,” he said.

“Our municipality is housing many mining operations which must assist us to expedite the provision of basic services and to reduce the level of unemployment, poverty and social inequality in our communities.”

Maila said pleaded with communities to allow mining operations to function without hinderance.

“We can all attest that protests and strikes are the thing of the past in our communities, and this is the result of our engagements with our communities and their understanding of our vision. We would like to than our communities for allowing us space to engage and for believing in our leadership,” he added.