Gauteng African National Congress chairperson Paul Mashatile had tough words for under-spending municipality and government departments on Saturday, saying this was a crime against humanity.
“In a country with such massive developmental backlogs, underspending must be declared a crime against the poor,” Mashatile told delegates at the party’s provincial general council in Centurion.
“No department under the ANC-led government or municipality must have any excuse to under-spend money allocated towards improving the quality of life for our people.”
Without mincing his words, Mashatile said on all those deployed in government to do their work.
“Failure to implement must attract dire consequences,” he said, leading to a thunderous applause from delegates.
Mashatile said filling high-paying positions with underpeformers was the same as failing the people.
In this regard, the provincial executive committee will soon hold a two-day Lekgotla, in order to address these “weaknesses” and put programmes in place to accelerate transformation.
“We must show urgency. We cannot afford to go to 20 years of freedom in 2014 with an uncaring attitude and laissez-faire approach to the problems faced by our people.”
The PGC continues until Sunday, where resolutions to the meeting will be concluded.
The party said 1Â 500 delegates from various branches were in attendance. — Sapa