The Rep 4 June 2021

THE REPRESENTATIVE 4 June 2021 Tel: (045) 839-4040 / editorial: mjekulal@therep.co.za / advertising: charodinev@therep.co.za 5
EMLM has R987m for the
2021/22 financial year
UNVEILING CEREMONY: From left, deputy state security minister Zizi Kodwa with Saints of
God and Church of Christ bishop Asikhalingaye Solomon Phehlo and Enoch Mgijima mayor
Luleka Gubula at the Hexagon during the unveiling of the memorial stone of prophet Enoch
Mgijima and the more than 200 church members who died in the Bulhoek Massacre in 1921
Picture: ABONGILE SOLUNDWANA
Kodwa unveils
memorial stone
Fallen Bulhoek heroes now forever remembered
ABONGILE
S O L U N D WA N A
Deputy state security
minister Zizi Kodwa led
the unveiling of the
memorial stone of prophet
Enoch Mgijima and more than
200 church members who died
in the Bulhoek Massacre in
1921, at the Chris Hani hexagon
in Komani on Friday.
At the event, known as the
Freedom of the Municipality, the
Enoch Mgijima Local
Municipality (EMLM)
posthumously recognised the
Bulhoek Massacre members
who were killed at Ntabelanga.
They were honoured along
with their leader, Enoch
Mgijima, who died in 1928.
This was also the last event
held in May to c o m m e m o ra t e
100 years since the massacre
occurred.
The day began with a parade
by Church of God and Saints of
Christ members from the town
hall, proceeding to the main
ceremony at the Chris Hani
Hexagon, where a memorial
stone was unveiled.
Kodwa said: “We are here to
rewrite history as part of the
programme and at the same
time to celebrate.
“The South African history
book was written by the
oppressor who termed the
Bulhoek Massacre an incident.
“A situation where more
than 200 dispossessed people
died while they were
demanding their land cannot be
‘an incident’. This is why it is
called a massacre - it was
p l a n n e d ,” Kodwa said.
He said commemoration
events such as this should
liberate both the former
oppressed and the oppressors.
“Oppressors can become
worried that they are not
protected when the oppressed
are freed,” Kodwa said.
“To celebrate and
commemorate what happened
in 1921 is important as a means
to bring back the land to the
hands of the people.”
He added that the
significance of holding a
commemoration for those who
had died was that their works
could never be e ra s e d .
“Another reason for the
memorial is for people to know
that when the ANC took a
decision in 1994 that we would
build a new nation, it was
important for us to know where
we came from.
“It is important for the
younger generation to know that
the freedom did not fall from
heaven like manna, many
people died. We are happy that
we unveiled the memorial stone
and that freedom of the town
has been given to the fallen
h e r o e s ,” Kodwa said.
To EMLM mayor, Lukeka
Gubula, he said more meaning
should be given to the
commemoration by allocating
land to the Saints of God and
Church of Christ.
Church evangelist Mavuso
Dokoda said the conferring of
the freedom of the municipality
symbolised the recognition of
the contribution made by the
leader of the church, Enoch
Mgijima, and his followers
towards the emancipation of
black people in SA.
“As a church it makes us feel
confident and proud of the
a ck n ow l e d g e m e n t .
“It means we should stick to
the values and norms and not let
down the political leadership
that has conferred this honour
on the church.”
ABONGILE
S O L U N D WA N A
Enoch Mgijima Local
Municipality (EMLM) will have
a total budget of R987m for the
2021/22 financial year.
This comprises a R878.7m
operating budget and a
R108.4m capital budget, an
increase of R115.3m compared
with the 2020/21 adjustment
budget. The adopted budget
was tabled at a special council
meeting on Monday.
EMLM mayor Luleka Gubula
said the operational revenue
was anticipated to reach
R878.7m.
The final budget for 2021/22
balances expenditure with
revenue and available cash
balances as required by the
Municipal Finance
Management Act (MFMA).
The mayor said the
municipality anticipated
moving towards its goal of
maintaining an operating cash
reserve of 30 days in 2022/23.
“The capital budget is
funded from a blend of
conditional grants and
internally-generated funds.”
Capital expenditure for
2021/22 is estimated at
R108.4m for a variety of capital
projects, showing an increase of
R35.5m. “The capital budget is
funded mainly from government
grants – Municipal Infrastructure
Grant (MIG) R54.3m,
department of transport
R35.0m, Small Town
Revitalisation Grant of R17.0m
from the office of the premier
and own funds of R7.2m for
small capital purchases and
f l e e t .” The capital budget for
2020/21 was R72.3m.
Meanwhile, the operating
revenue and provision for bad
debt has been increased from
the present R76.3m to R81.3m.
“It was necessary to increase
the bad debt provision, in line
with the current depressed
economic environment.”
The equitable share
allocation from the national
treasury for the 2021/22
financial year as contained in
the Division of Revenue Act is
R196, 899,000 - an increase
from the current R191, 323,000.
“This increase of just R5.6m
in the equitable share meant the
municipality must do more to
generate its own revenue to
supplement the grant and
s u b s i d i e s .”
Electricity service charges
have been increased by 14.59
as per Nersa price hikes.
In the operating expenditure,
employee-related costs are
increased by 2.25% in
accordance with the guidelines
in the MFMA budget circulars.
“No new vacancies are
included in this budget. We are
doing an employee audit . . . to
see if we truly have the
employees or ghosts. We have a
bloated staff . . . “
Electricity bulk purchases
are anticipated to increase by
16.0%. Electricity bulk
purchases will increase to
R284.1 m. Electricity losses,
which now stand at 49.2% are
anticipated to decrease in the
2021/22 financial year with the
implementation of the
electricity smart meters.
“An amount of R3.2m has
been allocated in the operating
budget for normal street
maintenance and repairs. This is
in addition to the R21.2m
allocated in the capital budget
through grant funding.
“An amount of R2.4m has
also been allocated in the
operating budget for the roads
unit for the purchase of small
equipment and machinery for
road patching.”
R750 000 is included in the
capital budget for computer
desk tops and laptops; R1m for
refuse skips that will be rented
out to businesses; and R200,000
for grass cutters.