GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - Councillors and officials of the Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality will be forced to pay back money that they owe the municipality.

At a special council meeting on 5 November, ANC councillor Penn Koeberg reacted to National and Provincial Treasury's concern about the municipality's financial status.

Koeberg raised his concern by telling the speaker, Thembisa Nonnies, that officials owe the municipality more than R1 million for municipal services that they did not pay for, with some councillors' debt totalling R128 000.

Koeberg said action ought to be taken against these officials and councillors. "It should have been done long ago," he added. He requested Chief Financial Officer Heleen Kok deduct the outstanding money from the respective officials' and councillors' remuneration.

"That money can help to cover municipal arrears."

He emphasised that the municipality must lead by example. Koeberg wanted to know how it was allowed that the money has been outstanding for three to four years.

Kok assured the municipal political leaders that the staff were informed of their debt in writing. "We issued letters to them all, informing them that the outstanding money will be deducted from their salaries from as soon as the end of November," Kok said.

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