For the 2022/23 financial year municipalities in South Africa, adopted total expenditure budgets of R557.8 billion, of which R146.6 billion goes for salaries and wages out of a total operational expenditure budget of R488.2 billion. Who looks after how these billions are spent?
Municipal finance is mostly regulated by the Local Government: Municipal Finance Management Act of 2003 (the MFMA). The MFMA’s point of departure is that the Municipal Manager of the municipality is its Accounting Officer and takes overall responsibility for the management of the municipality’s finances. Councillors play a guiding and oversight role.
The Mayor and the Councillor responsible for finance are the two individual councillors that are most directly involved in the creation of the municipality’s annual budget. That budget is passed by the full council. It also controls all spending by the municipality.
Councillors subsequently exercise oversight over the implementation of the budget by scrutinising the quarterly budget implementation reports that the Mayor must submit to council. Councillors are also involved in steering spending priorities within the budget by participating in the annual review of the Integrated Development Plan, the municipality’s principal strategic plan with which the budget must align. However, councillors are not involved in the day-to-day operational spending of the municipality.
What is the Role of Municipal Councillors in Public Spending? Watch this video to learn more: [Watch] bit.ly/3Uur0sw
MBF invite residents, business owners and ratepayers to visit our offices at 18A Kerk Street, Frankfort on Mondays to Thursdays from 08h30 to 16h00 and Fridays 08h30 to 12h00. Call or send a WhatsApp message to Marina at 079 145 4295. Visit our website www.mafubebf.org and follow us on Facebook.
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