A pay rise pushing the salary of a Free State municipal manager to R900 000 a year raised questions on Tuesday.
This increase for Naledi municipal manager Nceba Thukane was unacceptable as services under his supervision were extremely poor, said DA local councillor Mel Haddad.
He said Thukane got a raise while the municipality was only able to generate about eight percent of its revenue through municipal billing.
The municipality owed bulk water supplier Bloemwater R17 million.
“Sewage is flowing in the streets of Wepener and the roads in Dewetsdorp are appalling,” said Haddad.
Naledi spokesman Teboho Kholoanyane said Thukane’s salary was in line with the compensation of his counterparts in municipalities similar to Naledi.
He said the Free State department of co-operative governance and traditional affairs was paying the salaries of Thukane and other senior managers in the municipality.
This was due to the municipality’s financial situation.
Kholoanyane said the municipal manager’s salary was brought in line with other municipalities of its size.
The department of co-operative governance was also consulted in the process.
Haddad said the ANC-led council should discuss the serious infrastructure problem instead of worrying over salaries. – Sapa