VANDERBIJLPARK – The financially struggling Emfuleni Local Municipality has come under fire for spending almost R12 million on private grave-digging contractors between 2022 and 2025, despite having its own Parks and Recreation Department equipped with staff to handle the work internally.
According to information revealed by Gauteng MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) Jacob Mamabolo, in response to a Democratic Alliance (DA) question in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL), the embattled municipality continues to outsource basic services that could be performed by existing employees.
Millions Wasted on Basic Tasks
The DA’s Emfuleni North Constituency Head, Kingsol Chabalala MPL, slammed the spending as “unjustifiable and wasteful,” saying grave-digging does not require specialised skills and should not be outsourced.
“This kind of double-dipping is highly suspicious and reflects poor fiscal management. It’s another sign of Emfuleni’s deep-rooted governance failures,” Chabalala said.
The revelation follows earlier reports showing that Emfuleni spent more than R15 million over five years (2019–2024) on grass-cutting and graveyard maintenance, again using external service providers. Despite mounting debt and infrastructure collapse, the municipality’s outsourcing trend continues unabated.
Accountability Missing as Infrastructure Crumbles
Critics say the millions spent on external contractors could have been redirected to fix Emfuleni’s long-standing service delivery problems — including pothole-ridden roads, sewage spills, and electricity outages affecting some residents for nearly a decade.
The DA accused Premier Panyaza Lesufi and MEC Mamabolo of failing to hold the municipality accountable, claiming they have instead shifted blame away from their own oversight responsibilities.
“Funds that should improve service delivery are lining the pockets of contractors,” Chabalala added. “It’s a disgrace while communities continue to suffer.”
Lessons from Midvaal’s Good Governance
The DA pointed to Midvaal Local Municipality as a model of efficient governance, praising its ability to deliver services sustainably without wasting ratepayer money on unnecessary outsourcing.
“Midvaal invests in infrastructure and its workforce — a sharp contrast to Emfuleni’s mismanagement,” said Chabalala.
DA Calls for In-House Solutions
The DA plans to submit further questions to MEC Mamabolo to determine why municipal staff are not performing grave-digging duties despite being paid for these functions. The party’s councillors in Emfuleni are also expected to push for a policy to end the outsourcing of basic cemetery services.
The DA says that under a DA-led Gauteng government, municipalities would be required to use their own workforce for essential functions like grave-digging and cemetery maintenance, freeing up millions for service delivery improvements and job creation programmes.
