Knysna Audit Committee's Municipal Performance Report June 2014
Knysna Municipality targets not being met
The report that was submitted by Neil Meterlekamp (Chairman of the Knysna Audit Committee) to a Special Council Meeting on June 26 2014 shows that the administration of Knysna Municipality is not as sound as the public are led to believe. Note that the financial year ended that week (the new one begins annually on July 1).
Neil Meterlekamp: “It was noted that Performance Management is still in its infancy within Local Government and as such it is a challenge to determine appropriate performance indicators and targets. Bearing this in mind, the review highlighted some problems, namely:
- Capital Spend: In spite of being a standing item on the Municipal Manager’s monthly meeting agendas, it appears that the Municiplaity is heading towards a spend of only80% of budget by the end of this financial year which is considerably less than achieved in 2013.
- Risk Management Plan: Was only submitted to the Risk Management Committee after the end of the third quarter.
- Directorate Corporate Services: The requirement that quarterly reports be submitted to Council on the implementation of Council Resolutions was not met.
- Directorate Technical Services: Although certain indicators can only be measured at year end, this Directorate has, at this point, only achieved two-thirds of it’s KPI (key performance indicator).”
Comments by Councillors
Elrick van Aswegen (COPE): “Are these serious matters being addressed?”
Stephen de Vries (ANC): ” We have a habit of noting reports but how will these reports be processed?”
Ray Barrell (DA): Questions follow ‘noting’. One item i’m particularly concerned about is that of Director Corporate Services.”
Elrick van Aswegen (COPE): “Of course we should note these reports. My concern is that we only note. There are serious red lights here. As a Councillor, I have to address the Municipal Manager [Lauren Waring] to sort these problems.”
Michelle Wasserman (DA & Speaker): ” Council insists the Mayor [Georlene Wolmarans] deal with the issues raised… and to report back to Council.”
Wasserman must know by now that Wolmerans does not have a clue of what is going on around her. The course of action that should be embark upon is to use that report(Audit Committee’s report ) as well as the AG report and implement the recommendations that are contained in the reports and where necessary take appropriate action against those directorates who are failing in doing their jobs. The fact of the matter is that the buck stops at the municipal manager.
The Audit Committee lacks the will to enforce, the DA doesn’t wish to be embarrassed and the ANC is, well, not acting like the ANC at all which begs more questions.