Brandfort branch helps compensate water hero after municipal salary goes unpaid
AfriForum paid a portion of the salary of Lahlekile Simon Khetcha, an employee of the Masilonyana Local Municipality, after he continued pumping water to the Winnie Mandela (Brandfort) community despite not receiving his salary.
“In recognition of Mr Khetcha’s dedication to the community – even after many other municipal workers had given up – AfriForum decided to intervene and pay a portion of his salary,” says Christa Ikking, AfriForum’s District Coordinator for the Highlands.
Many municipal employees working for the Municipality did not receive their salaries in June. The Municipality’s longstanding financial mismanagement and its failure to pay salaries after National Treasury withheld its equitable share funding resulted in many employees not reporting for duty. Consequently, service delivery in the area virtually came to a standstill.
“It is a crying shame that ordinary members of the public and loyal municipal workers are paying the price for the Municipality’s continued financial mismanagement. Residents have endured unexplained water shortages for years, and AfriForum already had to provide much-needed assistance last year by establishing emergency water points,” says Ikking.
“It is, however, commendable that Mr Khetcha decided that service delivery remains important and ensured that the community continued to have a water supply. AfriForum could not stand by and watch such a dedicated person struggle on without any support.”
AfriForum has called on the Masilonyana Local Municipality to urgently get its financials in order so that municipal workers are not deprived of their livelihoods and basic service delivery is never placed at risk again.
