It was once a thriving municipality characterised by economic stability, but today the Theewaterskloof Municipality is not only bankrupt, but they also struggle to deliver basic services to their people.
Some residents believe that the problems started with the coalition between GOOD, ANC and the PA, while others say it started with leadership – as of 2021, there have been five mayors and four municipal managers. Today the DA’s Lincoln de Bruyn is the mayor.
In November 2024 the municipality was put under financial administration and last week the Western Cape Government approved the Financial Recovery Plan (FRP) for Theewaterskloof Municipality to address its financial and service delivery challenges. According to the Western Cape Government the municipality’s financial position has declined sharply since early 2023. “In the 2022-’23 financial year, Theewaterskloof collected over 95% of planned revenue and ended the year with a surplus. But by March 2023, governance instability and obligations exceeding available cash began to expose deep weaknesses. By August 2024, the collection rate had fallen to 64%, well below the National Treasury norm. This, as cash and cash equivalents, dropped from R70,96 million in August 2023 to R43,28 million a year later. Over the same period, commitments rose to R43,73 million,” they stated in a press release.
On 8 October the DA in the Theewaterskloof municipal area issued a press release where they welcome the Western Cape Government’s Financial Recovery Plan (FRP) to rescue TWK from financial ruin. “For the past few years, the PA/ANC/GOOD coalition has driven the municipality into the ground as result of mismanagement of funds and looting. During this period basic service delivery suffered greatly,” Nicholas Myburgh, DA Constituency Head of Theewaterskloof, said.
According to Myburgh within two years the municipality went from a financial surplus to financial crises. “Eskom debt grew to over R50 million, infrastructure backlogs ballooned and there are severe shortages of staff.”
It is also no secret that there are currently investigations into the disappearance of R41 million in disaster relief funds, as well as millions in irregular, unauthorised, and fruitless and wasteful expenditure that have been initiated.
“With the FRP cash flow will be restored, governance and institutional weaknesses addressed and service delivery measures strengthened,” the DA said.
