The cash-strapped Buffalo City Metro is by now mastering the art of talking right and walking left when it comes to its finances.
In October last year, the BCM council, faced with a dire financial position, approved a finance recovery plan which introduced strict measures to curb unnecessary expenditure.
But nine months later, the city seems to have not managed to curb the exorbitant expenditure on overtime.
On Wednesday, we reported that in just three months — between April and June this year — the city spent close to R40m in overtime.
If that trend continues the city would spend close to R160m by the end of the financial year in June 2025.
That is a worrying trend, especially so because some of those raking in overtime are at the political offices like that of mayor Princess Faku and speaker Humphrey Maxegwana.
What makes it worse is that Faku’s old office of deputy mayor, which she has left vacant for over a year now, is still among those with staff that charge the city for overtime.
Insiders at the city say in the political offices the overtime is mainly raked in by personal protectors.
An earlier report in June said protectors had claimed more than R500,000 for overtime in just one month — December 2023.
This ridiculous expenditure on noncore items needs to be stopped immediately.
So for BCM, it is OK to cut crucial processes like consultations, but it’s a free-for-all as they pay overtime to their staff
As things stand, residents are up in arms over rate hikes which the city implemented recently.
These hikes, which include a new monthly basic charge of R376 and R660, were implemented without proper consultations with residents after the city ditched some of its public participation processes.
So for the BCM, it is OK to cut crucial processes such as consultations with ratepayers over serious financial changes but it’s a free-for-all for them as they pay overtime to their staff.
It’s disgusting that the two most important offices — speaker and mayor — are part of those who are working against measures to stabilise the city’s finances.
These are the two offices that are supposed to lead by example in implementing the tough cost-containment measures to rescue the city but if they are at the forefront, the ratepayers who have to dig deep to service their municipal accounts are doomed.
With the tough economic conditions facing not just BCM but SA as a whole, citizens have to be more vigilant in holding the likes of Faku accountable on the promises and resolutions they take.
It’s high time that they are no longer left to their own devices to make grand promises, squeeze ratepayers for every last cent, cut spending on essential items while for them it’s business as usual.
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