Bay metro must beware of deadly duo

Tom and Jerry. Batman and Robin. Suarez and Messi. History is littered with deadly duos. But a deadly duo who could bring an entire city to its knees?

Look no further than Mongameli Bobani and Mvuleni Mapu.

At the council meeting last Monday (June 29), the ACDP noted with concern the attempts to reinstate the infamous Cllr Bobani as executive mayor through a motion of exigency.

At this same meeting, the dubious appointment of Mapu as acting city manager was made.

Mapu is no stranger to local government. He has a long history in the municipal environment.

Mapu’s official position is that of a director of human settlements. He was also the acting executive director of human settlements prior to his elevation.

Mapu was initially appointed to act as city manager by acting executive mayor Cllr Thsonono Buyeye, who, himself, is acting in the position.

With the number of “actors” we have in the NMBM, one would be forgiven for mistaking it for the set of a Hollywood movie.

The ousting of the former acting city manager, Noxolo Nqwazi, was straight out of a thriller or suspense movie.

A mysterious note was found near her car, threatening her to vacate office, or die. This on the day that Nqwazi returned to work after being involved in a vehicle collision during the previous week.

The acting executive mayor, who then tries to become the lead actor in this movie, issues a letter to Nqwazi, relieving her of her duties, citing the long recovery time from a neck injury she sustained in the collision.

The acting mayor then writes to the institution to announce Mapu as city manager and states the primary reason for relieving Nqwazi was due to her term as city manager lapsing.

The acting mayor, in showing his wide range of acting talents, took on the role of medical doctor as well, diagnosing Nqwazi without having examined her condition, despite her own, trained and practising doctor declaring her fit for work.

Is this Grey’s Anatomy or are we watching something more comedic, like Laurel and Hardy?

In voting to appoint Mapu as acting city manager, the council, once again, appointed an unqualified individual to act as city manager.

We have been down this road before, with the appointment of Peter Nielson and Nobuntu Mpongwana as acting city managers previously.

Now, once again, an official is elevated two or more levels up to take the seat as leader of the administration.

All of this, while the city has permanently appointed executive directors, who would all be above Mapu in line for the position.

The coalition’s insistence, then, on Mapu being elevated to city manager must make one wonder why more senior, more qualified and more competent executive directors are not being considered?

Mapu spent a number of years suspended and was also allegedly investigated by the Hawks for his chequered past.

The reason for the significant delays in his disciplinary hearing were due to him suffering from an ailment.

Now one must bear in mind that the leader of the administration should be the most exemplary official, competent, abiding by the highest code of ethical conduct and one who is able to withstand the pressures of the position.

One has to beg the question whether a man with a seemingly dodgy past, who is not suitably qualified and who suffered from an ailment for a significant period, only to miraculously recover after being reinstated by the current coalition, is best placed to lead this city?

The other half of this dazzling duo who is touted to lead this city is Cllr Bobani.

Cllr Bobani’s tenure as executive mayor will forever be blighted by the R21m draincleaning heist and the tragic and unnecessary loss of life associated with it.

During his time as mayor, news of threats, lies, intimidation and lack of service delivery were the order of the day.

The very same ANC who are now trying to reinstate Mayor Bobani actively assisted to remove him from office by voting against him.

In a bid to retain power at any cost, will the ANC risk throwing this metro into utter chaos again? Especially during this critical time when the municipality is fighting the twin threats of Covid-19 and a water shortage?

The National Treasury has long been threatening to stop the allocation of equitable share and conditional grant funding to the NMBM due to its persistent non-compliance with legislation.

It appears that day has finally arrived, with the National Treasury informing NMBM on June 29 that it will be withholding grant funding to the tune of R750m. For a metro which is as grant dependent as the NMBM, this is devastating news.

With a gaping hole in our revenue stream, something else will have to give. Will it be capital projects? Will it be service delivery? Will there be massive future rate hikes? Only time will tell.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) left the council meeting on Monday prior to the appointment of Mapu as acting city manager. As the official opposition, and with 57 seats in council (majority seats), one wonders if we would be in this position today if the DA had voted?

With Mapu winning by 31 votes to 22 votes, 57 votes may have changed things somewhat.

A word of warning to the ruling coalition. Be careful of the consequences of your actions as well as your inaction.

With a rising Covid-19 infection rate, a health-care system that’s near collapse, unemployment surging and a diminishing rates base, the entire city is watching closely to find out how this movie ends.

As a first port of call, act now and act fast, and save our city from decimation by the deadly duo. ACDP Cllr Lance Grootboom