The Theewaterskloof Municipality has come under scrutiny after it was revealed that R41 million allocated for disaster projects was instead redirected for other purposes, Cape {town} Etc reports.
Newly elected Mayor Lincoln de Bruyn said the funds were initially earmarked for addressing flood and storm damage. 'However, it is important to be transparent and upfront in stating that the funds were not solely utilised for these intended purposes.'
Until Wednesday, the municipality was run by a coalition between the ANC, GOOD and Patriotic Alliance. This week, the GOOD party formed a new coalition with the Democratic Alliance (DA) and Socialist Revolutionary Workers Party (SRWP).
'It appears that the previous governing coalition was of the opinion that they had to redirect these funds for operational purposes as they realised that they faced significant financial challenges,' DA Mayor De Bruyn said in a statement.
'The current government does not agree that this was the right decision. We recognise the importance of delivering on the identified projects and remain committed to doing so as our financial situation improves.'
