The Democratic Alliance (DA) has expressed grave concern about the appointment of David van Rooyen as the new Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs‚ asserting that he is not qualified for the job. DA spokesman on cooperative governance and traditional affairs‚ Kevin Mileham‚ noted that Van Rooyen’s appointment as Minister of Finance last Wednesday had been met with a massive public outcry and a significant negative response from global and local markets.“His newest appointment should be viewed with similar scepticism‚ because he is simply unqualified for Ministerial office‚” said Mileham. Reports at the weekend alleged that under Van Rooyen’s watch as Mayor of Merafong‚ the municipal deficit had increased fivefold.“Unauthorised‚ irregular and fruitless and wasteful expenditure increased dramatically too under van Rooyen’s mayoralty. Van Rooyen also oversaw the enormous increase in his own Mayoral salary‚ up 69.72% during his five years in office‚ and he oversaw the increase in Executive Councillors salaries by 76.67% “Within just his second year in the Mayoral Office in Merafong‚ van Rooyen oversaw R 3‚177‚859 unauthorised‚ irregular‚ fruitless and wasteful expenditure‚ up from zero in the year he came to office‚” Mileham charged. He added that the new Minister would be expected to take the lead in turning around the many dysfunctional municipalities which the National Government itself admitted numbered over one third of all SA municipalities. Van Rooyen‚ therefore‚ as a novice Minister and failed Mayor himself‚ was wholly inappropriate for the Ministerial office‚ Mileham stated. “As Van Rooyen failed as Mayor of Merafong‚ was sacked after a weekend flutter as Finance Minister and has been a silent member on the Finance Portfolio Committee‚ we contend that he is not suitably qualified to be a Minister of any national department. South Africa’s municipalities need a firm hand to guide them. Unfortunately‚ Minister van Rooyen‚ who was chased out of Merafong and had his house burned down by service delivery protestors‚ cannot provide this. Minister van Rooyen has now been set up for failure by President Zuma once more‚” Mileham asserted...