Six senior officials in the Senqu Municipality awarded themselves a 2011 performance bonus bonanza amounting to1.6 % of the operating budget for the towns of Barkley East and Lady Grey. Two of these officials received over R500 000 each. The percentage increase in bonuses from 2010 of R453 773 against R2,004 million in 2011 is an increase of over 440 % year on year.

Such self enrichment is the culture that is robbing the citizens of this province and the country especially the poor of much needed services.

I have taken this matter up with the MEC for Local Government and Traditional Affairs, Mlibo Qoboshiyane, and have requested a full investigation by his department.

Furthermore I will discuss these bonuses at the next meeting of the Portfolio Committee of Local Government and Traditional Affairs.

One must recognise and reward outstanding work achievement with performance bonuses but these bonuses must be realistic, costed gestures.

The operating budget of Senqu Municipality for 2011 was a relative small amount of R121 million.

The bonus of the Director, Technical Services, was an increase of 496 %, going from R102 288 in 2010 to a whopping R507 991 in 2011.

The Municipal Manager received the lowest bonus increase of 344 % from a payout of R168 883 in 2010 to R581 185 in 2011.

Others who received generous bonuses were the Director of Financial Services, of R445 584 up from R154 572 the previous year while the Directors of Corporate and Support Services and the Director of Integrated Planning Municipal Economics (IPME) received bonuses of R 257 440 and R24 731 respectively.

The biggest winner was the Director of Community and Social Services whose bonus increased by 674%, from R27 850 to R187 798.

The annual salaries of these officials range from R705 538 to R1,046 million.

The bonuses bonanza is just the tip of the iceberg in this municipality. Allegations of gross maladministration of funds have been received by the DA from the public.

With a world-wide financial crisis, an employment crisis in this country and failing service delivery throughout the province, communities must not allow such financial greed by those voted into power.