Upset residents marched against Jozini Municiplaity
HUNDREDS of community and ANC members in Jozini area and surroundings marched to Jozini Municipality on Friday to hand over a memorandum to the officials of the Department of Co-Operative Governance and Traditional Affairs on Friday, demanding the disbanding of the municipality.
Chairperson in uMkhanyakude, Bertwell Mthethwa, said the municipality should be disbanded and placed under administration, accusing the municipality leadership of corruption and maldministration.
‘The proof of these allegations is that in June the municipality used a Municipal Infrastructure Grant to pay workers and councillors because there was no money to pay salaries.
‘Currently, the municipality has exhausted all its 2017/18 budget, meaning they have to use 2018/2019 budget to complete all unfinished projects,’ said Mthethwa.
Mthethwa further accused the municipality of nepotism by saying when the new administration took over in 2011 they expelled about 448 people and replaced them with those affiliated to the IFP.
‘Currently the municipality holds it council meetings in hotels because the council chamber is still under construction and the contractor abandoned the project even though he was paid up front.
‘There are so many projects that were left unfinished because all service providers left their work unfinished even though they were all fully paid in advance, which we were not aware of.
‘This has also left many more questions than answers. Secondly the travelling agent is paid R1-million every month, we don’t why,’ said Mthethwa.
‘All municipal vehicles are branded with colours similar to the IFP flag; this is a state institution and we cannot allow that to happen in our country.’
Attempts to get comment from Jozini mayor, Cllr Delani Mabika were unsuccessful after the protest.
However, before the march he said he could not comment because he had not seen the memorandum.