Pretoria - Tshwane executive mayor Solly Msimanga said that in one year he has managed to turn around a massive budget deficit in the city by cutting out frivolous spending and ghost staff members.
Unauthorized expenditure reduced from R1.6 billion in the 2015/16 financial year to R634 million in 2016/17 financial year he said.
Msimanga was this morning at the National Press Club in Tshwane speaking about the progress made in the municipality over the past year and the City's service delivery priorities and challenges.
“We started off with a R2.1 billion deficit. We have turned the corner in one year,” he said.
Among the the other items he mentioned was plans are underway for a fire station in Mamelodi for the first time.
Msimanga also said 2 804 families have received title deeds to their homes and are now formal owners.
Msimanga also add currently over 80% Tshwane households have access to electricity.
This biggest worry was the fact that Itu projects were being hijacked and halted by possibly he opposition parties. " People especially in the townships continue to hijack services like removal of waste because they want it to be sub contracted, " he said.
Msimanga was elected the executive mayor of the capital city following the local government elections in August 2016. The ruling African National Congress was ousted by a coalition of parties that included the Democratic Alliance and the Economic Freedom Fighters.