UPM to act on Makhanda
The Unemployed Peoples’ Movement (UPM) in Makhanda are heading to court to have the municipal council dissolved and the municipality placed in the hands of a competent and accountable administrator.
The unprecedented move comes at a time when Makhanda and other towns falling under the Makana municipality face prolonged water outages, sewage flowing down streets, growing piles of uncollected rubbish, toxic smoke from a fiercely burning municipal rubbish dump and tap water which tests have shown to be compromised by off-the-chart bacteria counts.
The Makana municipality’s state has left residents facing a serious health crisis, the UPM has warned in court papers.
The decision to dissolve a council and place a municipality under administration in terms of section 139(c) of the constitution is an extreme step usually left up to the premier of a province.
It can only be made if the municipality is in serious breach of its constitutional mandate to provide basic services or meet its financial commitments. But the UPM is not leaving it up to premier Phumulo Masualle.
Yesterday it issued court papers citing as respondents President Cyril Ramaphosa, Masualle, co-operative governance MEC Fikile Xasa, the National Council of Provinces, Makana mayor Mzukisi Mpahlwa, municipal manager Moppo Mene, the various municipal trade unions and several others.
It is asking the Grahamstown High Court to declare the municipality in breach of its constitutional mandate to provide basic services and promote a safe and healthy environment for its citizens.
The organisation wants the court to order a mandatory intervention which would involve the dissolution of council and the appointment of a competent and experienced administrator for the municipality.
The UPM’s Ayanda Kota outlines a long history of failed interventions in the city’s affairs by the province.
Instead of it helping, he said matters had deteriorated to alarming levels leading to demonstrations, marches and a petition in which 22,170 people called for urgent intervention.
He pointed out that the provincial treasury had indicated the structure of the municipality was bloated with 700 employees who soaked up a massive part of the budget.
It was top heavy with 30 managers, yet there was poor supervision of staff.
He said the municipality was officially in a state of disaster.
Court papers indicate that if the matter is unopposed it will be argued in early April.
The municipality did not respond to queries at the time of going to press..