DA to table Buffalo City motion demanding accountability on SCOPA directives - IOL

The DA says Buffalo City must account for actions taken after SCOPA raised concerns over audit findings, infrastructure projects, consequence management and the municipality’s financial management.

The Democratic Alliance caucus in Buffalo City says it will table a motion calling on the municipality’s political and administrative leadership to account for its response to recommendations issued by Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA).

The motion will call on the Executive Mayor and Municipal Manager to table a comprehensive report confirming whether every required action has been initiated, which documents have been submitted, when and to whom they were submitted, and where Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCM) has failed to comply.

The DA will also submit a Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) application for the reports, action plans, correspondence and proof of submission.

SCOPA’s formal report, dated August 19, 2026 and subsequently tabled in Parliament, gave BCM 30 days to implement, or begin implementing, a series of urgent measures.

According to the DA, the 30-day period expires on Friday.

BCM and the Buffalo City Metropolitan Development Agency were called upon to implement an action plan addressing persistent audit findings, establish a fraud prevention plan, urgently vet executive management and supply chain management officials, and provide comprehensive reports on Marina Glen, Court Crescent and Water World.

The Marina Glen and Court Crescent reports must include itemised financial reconciliations, expenditure against the original budgets, progress against the approved scope, reasons for cost overruns, implicated officials, disciplinary action, civil recovery and criminal referrals.

For Water World, BCM must provide a detailed completion, funding, timeline and operating plan.

It must also demonstrate that any proposed public-private partnership will protect municipal ownership, affordability, public access and meaningful public consultation.

SCOPA further required close-out reports detailing progress on infrastructure projects, consequence management and the implementation of recommendations made by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and Auditor-General.

These reports must identify responsible officials and provide firm completion deadlines.

The parliamentary SCOPA oversight found that BCM had received qualified audit opinions for three consecutive years, achieved only 55% of its key service delivery targets during the 2024/25 financial year and allocated just 1% of its budget to maintenance against a norm of 8%.

Water World has consumed an estimated R121 million but remains unusable.

Marina Glen’s cost reportedly increased from R6 million to R70 million, while the Court Crescent allocation increased from R50 million to at least R87 million amid concerns over delays, defects and value for money.

SCOPA concluded that the Buffalo City Council had shown “no appetite” to investigate the misuse of public funds or implement consequence management.

DA Buffalo City constituency leader Leander Kruger said the council could not delay action and leave the consequences to a new administration after the November 4 election.

“The current Council cannot shirk these responsibilities, run down the clock, and leave the consequences of its failures for a new administration after the 4 November election,” Kruger said.

He said accountability should continue regardless of whether councillors or political office-bearers remain in office after the election.

“Accountability cannot depend on whether individual councillors or political office-bearers return after the election. Investigations, disciplinary proceedings, civil recovery, and criminal referrals must continue regardless of whether those implicated remain in office,” he said.

SCOPA has recommended a comprehensive SIU investigation into BCM’s financial management, infrastructure projects, procurement processes, major financial transactions and any unreported or incomplete projects.

It also recommended lifestyle audits of senior political office-bearers, municipal management, heads of department and supply chain management officials.

Kruger called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to authorise the investigation without delay.

“Those responsible for wasting public money must be pursued whether they remain in Council after 4 November or not,” he said.