CAPE TOWN, Western Cape — The DA threatens criminal charges against municipal managers in some of the country’s worst-performing local governments, targeting accounting officers responsible for years of financial mismanagement and collapsed service delivery.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has officially compiled a “least wanted” list of municipal officials, labeling them as repeat offenders who have continuously failed in their governance duties. Marina van Zyl, the DA’s Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) spokesperson, confirmed that the party is moving to hold these powerful individuals personally and criminally accountable.
The Criteria: Years of Disclaimed Audits
The municipalities targeted on this list are those that have received “disclaimed audit opinions” from the Auditor General for consecutive periods ranging from three to ten years. A disclaimed opinion is the worst possible audit outcome, indicating that the Auditor General could not even express an opinion on the municipality’s financial state or governance. This typically occurs when municipal managers fail to submit necessary documentation or refuse to engage in audit discussions, leaving authorities with nothing to assess.
While the initial list highlights the top 10 worst-run municipalities, specific areas named include the Maluti-a-Phofung and Masilonyana local municipalities in the Free State, as well as the Ditsobotla Local Municipality in the North West. According to van Zyl, this systemic financial negligence directly results in a severe lack of basic service delivery, forcing residents to endure broken infrastructure and empty local clinics.
Legal Action Under the MFMA
To execute this crackdown, the DA is relying heavily on the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA). Under Sections 173 and 174 of the MFMA, municipal accounting officers are held criminally liable if they are found to be negligent or if they fail to take responsible steps to curb irregular, fruitless, and wasteful expenditure.
Additionally, the party is utilizing powers granted under the Public Audit Amendment Act, which allows the Auditor General to issue certificates of debt. The DA has compiled comprehensive affidavits against the offending managers and plans to formally lodge these cases with the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
Timeline and Political Context
The DA will embark on a two-week tour of the identified municipalities to lay these charges, with the process officially starting on Friday, August 21. Van Zyl will be accompanied by fellow CoGTA spokespeople and the DA’s parliamentary leader, George Michalakis, during the visits.
Addressing questions regarding the timing of the announcement amid election season, van Zyl firmly denied that the move is a political stunt or an election gimmick. She emphasized that citizens have suffered under these managers for years and that the initiative is a long-term commitment to accountability.
When asked why no DA-run or opposition-led municipalities were included on the list, van Zyl clarified that the selections were strictly based on the objective 2024 and 2025 Auditor General reports. Because the data shows the worst-run municipalities are currently under ANC administration, the resulting “least wanted” list exclusively features officials from ANC-run areas. Van Zyl welcomed the ANC to publicly respond to the factual findings presented by the Auditor General.