Media Statement on behalf of Executive Mayor Andrew Stroebel: Findings of Wasteful Expenditure relating to Senior Management Payouts

21 October 2024

As the newly appointed Executive Mayor of the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM), I, Andrew Stroebel, along with the Council, am committed to urgently addressing the concerns raised by the Western Cape Government’s Department of Local Government, led by Minister Anton Bredell, responsible for Local Government, Environmental Affairs, and Development Planning.

In August 2024, I tabled a detailed report to the Council regarding alleged wasteful expenditure, which pertained to the financial years prior to my appointment – 2017 to 2022. The Provincial Government’s Section 139(1)(a) Notice as per the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, included directives concluding that irregular, fruitless, and wasteful expenditure in the form of salary payouts be addressed.

A report will be tabled to the Council for consideration and implementation, outlining specific proposed actions to address these alleged overpayments made to senior officials. These identified overpayments specifically relate to benefits that resulted in certain senior officials receiving annual salary packages exceeding the upper limits as set out in the relevant promulgated upper limits document.

I remain committed to fulfilling my obligations under the Municipal Finance Management Act, with the support of the GRDM administration, to reinforce our dedication to accountability. Therefore, the GRDM Administration, Council and I will work closely with provincial authorities to resolve the issues and restore public trust in the district municipality. This is one of the matters that I pledged to address upon appointment as Mayor, and I am fully committed to successfully resolving it and rebuilding the trust between the GRDM and taxpayers.

Media updates will be provided as this matter evolves.

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