According to the auditor-general, Tlokwe incurred irregular expenditure totalling R142.8-million during the 2011/2012 financial year.

WHILE senior ANC leaders including President Jacob Zuma met with Tlokwe councillors yesterday, news of widespread financial irregularities in the North West municipality surfaced.

According to the auditor-general, Tlokwe incurred irregular expenditure totalling R142.8-million during the 2011/2012 financial year. This figure is in addition to yet more irregular expenditure of R172.8-million, which the AG's office said "has not yet been dealt with" from previous years.

Tlokwe's financial woes point to continuous power struggles between rival ANC factions in the province, DA North West leader Chris Hattingh said yesterday.

Tlokwe has become the latest battleground in the ongoing tussle between warring factions aligned to suspended provincial secretary Kabelo Mataboge and chairman Supra Mahumapelo.

At the centre of the tussle, it has been claimed, is access to the province's financial resources.

The AG also recorded unauthorised expenditure amounting to R152.5-million, added to R83.4-million from previous years.

Fruitless and wasteful expenditure of R2.8-million in the year under review as well as similar expenditure of R1.4-million from past years was also recorded.

Yet the municipality underspent its budget by R47.9-million in the 2011/2012 financial year.

Tlokwe's budget for that financial year was R788-million.

The AG noted that "service delivery was affected negatively" because of the underspending.