GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - The salaries of Dr Beyers Naudé (DBNLM) municipal employees, including councillors, were not paid on time today (25 June), causing anxiety for those affected.

Ewald Loock, chairperson of the Finance standing committee, was unaware that salaries would not be paid as normal until yesterday, and there was no official notification sent out to either councillors or other municipal employees.

A municipal employee, who wishes to remain anonymous out of fear of victimisation, told the Advertiser that the DBNLM’s failure to pay salaries on time has her worried about her finances. “I’m a mother — I have rent to pay and debit orders, and I’ll have to pay penalty fees if those aren’t paid on time,” she said. The employee confirmed that the municipality did not communicate beforehand that salaries would be late.

A message was sent out at 8.50am by Zoleka Kali, Director of Corporate Services, apologising for the inconvenience, and stating that salaries would be paid before the end of business today, and this did happen, late afternoon.

It is alleged that at the close of the working day yesterday, there were insufficient funds available to pay the salary bill. No response has been forthcoming from the municipality on the matter.

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