The scourge of corruption in the municipalities is appalling. There seems to be no political will to deal with this monstrous unscrupulousness in our local sphere of government.

People are continuing to suffer and there is no aorta of hope to rescue the situation under the current dispensation. The Titanic is about to hit the iceberg, leadership is at its lowest ebb. Even the SA Communist Party is considering going solo if the current decay does not stop.

Billions of rands have been lost to corruption and maladministration, and to this day no one has been called to account, let alone convicted.

But all is not lost, we can take a few lessons from the Midvaal local municipality, which has won countless awards for good governance and financial management.

In the past five years, it has received a clean audit and received the best municipality award in Gauteng. The question can be asked, what is it that they are doing right?

Clearly, the young Bongani Baloyi is providing leadership as the number one citizen of Midvaal. In his administration, there is clear adherence to policy regulation and ethical leadership. There is consequence management to hold defaulting officials accountable. The vision is clear and goals are clearly defined.

Political patronage is loathed and there is no room for cutting corners.

Simon Ratlhagane, email