The Thaba Chweu local municipality has defended its decision to spend more than R500,000 for 60 employees to attend a “wellness” event in Botswana.
The DA, in the Mpumalanga-based municipality, called on the Special Investigating Unit and Public Service Commission to investigate the trip, which the opposition party says was unnecessary in the current economic conditions.
Responding to this, the municipality said: “Thaba Chweu local municipality has been an affiliate of the Southern Africa Inter-Municipal Sports Association (SAIMSA) for eight years with the objective of promoting the physical wellbeing of councillors and employees.
“The municipality’s participation in such a programme is informed by the employee assistance and wellness programme policy which was approved by council on June 30 2021.
“The municipality had set aside an annual budget of R500,000 for employee wellness programmes to which individual wellness sports participants contribute a monthly subscription of R100, which is used as co-funding for transport and lunch. The municipality, through the sports budget, contributed R414,810 towards accommodation, breakfast and dinner for the Botswana trip.
The DA promotes and acknowledges the importance of employee wellness. However, we reiterate that the municipality is in no financial position to spend money on such programmes while service delivery is non-existent.
— DA councillor Marius Opperman
“The trip was budgeted for and duly approved by council, and it is within the legal rights of any individual to approach law enforcement agencies if they suspect any wrongdoing,” said spokesperson for the municipality Ezrom Sekgobela.
A total of 60 employees visited the Southern Africa Inter-Municipal Sports Association event in Botswana in September 2023 to participate in the sporting activities.
DA councillor Marius Opperman said while it respected the municipality’s move to invest in employees’ wellness, he said the municipality was not in a position to spend so much money on a sporting excursion.
“The DA promotes and acknowledges the importance of employee wellness. However, we reiterate that the municipality is in no financial position to spend money on such programmes while service delivery is non-existent.
“Thaba Chweu is under financial review, therefore, the Treasury regulations state clearly that the municipality should not fund events of this nature.
“Noting the municipality’s transgression of Treasury standards, we will approach the Public Service Commission for intervention. The DA will not sit back and watch residents being deprived of services while the municipality funds wellness programmes.
“Individuals responsible for this trip must be held accountable, such conduct is immoral to say the least,” said Opperman.
In June last year, auditor-general Tsakani Maluleke identified Thaba Chweu as one of the municipalities in Mpumalanga that had not performed well for the 2021/22 financial year.
Maluleke said: “For example, Thaba Chweu local municipality spent 104% of its budget but achieved only 29% of its basic services and infrastructure development targets.”
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