Note to Editors: Please find attached a soundbite by Cllr Bettie Lawens
- DA demands forensic probe after Treasury withholds Inxuba Yethemba funding over financial mismanagement.
- R930 million Eskom debt and over R122 million in irregular and wasteful spending expose ANC’s financial failure.
- DA calls for criminal charges, suspensions, and a financial recovery plan to restore accountability and protect residents.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called for a comprehensive forensic investigation after National Treasury announced its decision to temporarily withhold the Inxuba Yethemba Municipality’s July 2026 equitable share allocation.
The municipality currently owes Eskom R930 million, while the latest audited financial statements reveal R53.8 million in irregular expenditure and R68.8 million in fruitless and wasteful expenditure.
These figures represent money taken from basic service delivery for the people of Inxuba Yethemba.
National Treasury has correctly moved to enforce financial discipline. This step shows that National Government will finally take action against failing ANC municipalities and force political accountability. The ANC’s financial delinquency in Inxuba Yethemba must stop, the rot cannot continue as it is the residents who suffer.
However, the DA insists that withholding funds alone is not enough.
We will therefore write to the MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Zolile Williams, requesting that he demands the following immediate interventions by the municipality:
- A full forensic investigation into all irregular, fruitless, and wasteful expenditure, with criminal charges pursued against officials and politicians implicated in the looting.
- The establishment of a credible Financial Recovery Plan.
- Full disclosure to Council of all debt repayment schedules and monthly expenditure reports.
- The suspension of all officials involved in repeat unauthorised, irregular, and wasteful expenditure pending the outcome of disciplinary processes.
While the DA is concerned about the potential short-term impact on service delivery, we place the blame on the ANC leadership that has driven this municipality into financial ruin through cadre deployment, corruption, and incompetence.
The DA will continue to lead the fight for clean governance and will not rest until accountability is enforced and the people of Inxuba Yethemba receive the responsible, transparent local government they deserve.
The residents deserve better and on 4 November they can vote for better. They can vote for a DA government that will get Inxuba Yethemba working.