A strategic meeting at a river resort is planned in the new year for Sol Plaatje officials. Picture: Sandi Kwon Hoo
SOL PLAATJE Municipality has come under attack for arranging a lavish R328,000 retreat to host a strategic planning meeting at a river resort in Douglas.
The session that was supposed to take place from December 11 to 13 has been postponed until next year.
Sol Plaatje Ratepayers' Association project manager Tumelo Mosikare condemned the “glutinous and wasteful” expenditure.
“This is while residents’ electricity is being cut and the municipality is cash-strapped. This is nothing but a holiday for councillors while the municipality is plunged in a financial crisis,” said Mosikare.
He questioned why the meeting could not be held in the city.
“The trip would mean paying travel, subsistence and accommodation expenses. I am willing to offer my office for them to hold the meeting free of charge. The expense, which represents 30 percent of a million rand, does not warrant the purpose of the meeting. Why are these funds not being used to fix the city instead?”
DA councillor Ockie Fourie added that the party had opposed the application for a deviation at a council meeting on Wednesday.
“While Sol Plaatje municipal staff are gearing up for a luxury retreat in the new year, Kimberley residents are at their wits’ end with the deteriorating state of the city,” said Fourie.
“The municipal manager approved a deviation order to the value of almost R328,000 for an urgent payment to the service provider. Apparently, there was not enough time for it to go out on tender. Ironically, the strategic planning session that was scheduled to take place from December 11 to 13 has been postponed until January 18 to 20, with unforeseen reasons being cited.”
Fourie indicated that the session would be held at an upmarket riverside resort in Siyancuma Municipality.
“It will host 70 staff members and union representatives, at a cost of R4,682 per person. The resort is only 100 kilometres from Kimberley, yet staff will stay over on Sunday night for the meeting that only starts on Monday. Officials will also make their own way to the venue, allowing them to submit subsistence and travel claims, further pushing up the overall costs of the rendezvous.”
Fourie pointed out that the cash-strapped municipality was unable to pay overtime for emergency repair work, buy paper on which to print municipal documents, or train plumbers to increase capacity to attend to water leaks.
He added that the DA had proposed that the Kimberley City Hall be utilised instead, as it would not cost the municipality a cent.
“We have further submitted questions to the municipal manager, including why the event is taking place within the boundaries of another municipality, whether the supplier was paid upfront and why the tender process was not immediately implemented.
“This is not the first time this year that Sol Plaatje has prioritised an event above service delivery. In September, the municipality left residents waterless and in the dark while a contingent of staff participated in the week-long municipal games.”
Fourie said that taxpayers’ money was being spent recklessly. “The funds should instead be directed at repairing water leaks, potholed roads, broken street lights and sewage blockages.”
Sol Plaatje Municipality spokesperson Thoko Riet said the meeting had been postponed until next year.
“The meeting is held yearly, as convened by the municipal manager for strategic planning purposes.”