While NCC Continues Demanding Accountability
Reporter – George April
Vredenburg:- Public outrage is mounting after the Saldanha Bay Municipality’s 2025/26 budget was passed during yesterday’s council meeting, a session streamed live on YouTube and widely criticized for a lack of transparency and unanswered questions.
Despite the Democratic Alliance (DA) not holding an outright majority, the budget was approved with the backing of the Freedom Front Plus (VF+), whose sole councillor holds the influential Financial Services portfolio. With the DA’s 13 seats and VF+’s one vote, the narrow margin of 14 was enough to push the budget through, without the support of any other opposition party.
VF+ Support Enables Budget Approval Without Broader Consensus
This outcome raises serious concerns among residents and opposition parties, especially in light of allegations of R2.5 million in unaccounted funds during the previous financial year. Community voices have questioned how a budget can be passed when such significant financial issues remain unresolved.
“It’s now clear the DA only needs the VF+ to secure votes on critical financial matters,” said a local activist. “The community’s trust is being eroded when concerns are dismissed, and budget decisions are fast-tracked without accountability.”
The VF+, through Councillor Jaco Kotzé, who heads the Finance Committee, has come under particular scrutiny for consistently siding with the DA, despite growing public calls for financial transparency.
NCC Councillor Repeatedly Confronts DA Over Missing Millions
While some parties have remained quiet or neutral, the National Coloured Congress (NCC) continues to be vocal. Speaking to Cape Coast News Online, Dean Goliath, a senior NCC overseer in Cape Town, confirmed that their representative in council has again confronted the DA during this morning’s sitting, demanding clarity on unresolved financial matters.
This follows several months of pressure from the NCC, who have been calling for answers since the initial reports of mismanagement surfaced late last year. According to Goliath, the NCC’s councillor is not aligned with the DA and has continued to oppose decisions made without proper consultation or justification.
Questions Remain Over Governance, Integrity, and Political Alignments
The events of the past two days have led to several urgent questions:
- Why was the budget passed before the allegations of R2.5 million in financial irregularities were addressed?
- What role does the VF+ play in enabling decisions that bypass public scrutiny?
- Are small parties compromising their values for influence or position?
- Why are opposition voices, like that of the NCC, seemingly sidelined in critical financial matters?
Community Reactions
Many residents have taken to social media to express their concerns:
“We are taxpayers. We deserve answers before another cent is spent,” said one Saldanha Bay resident.
“This is not just party politics — this is about public money, public trust, and real accountability.”
Consistently seeking answers
As political tensions rise in the Saldanha Bay Municipality, the budget’s approval, achieved through a slim alliance, has left opposition parties and community members demanding greater transparency. While the VF+ appears firmly in support of the DA-led administration, the NCC continues to stand apart as a party consistently seeking answers and challenging the status quo.
Cape Coast News Online will follow up on developments and provide updates as more information becomes available.
