Ultimatum for Vuvulane local govt elections
MANZINI – The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and Vuvulane Town Board management have been given an ultimatum to start the local government election process at the urban area.
A group of concerned residents of Vuvulane Town have instructed their lawyer, Derrick Jele from Robinson Bertram, to notify the Attorney General’s (AGs) Office that its clients; being the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Prince Simelane, Principal Secretary (PS) in the ministry Clifford Mamba, Vuvulane Town Board Deputy Chairperson Zandile Tsabedze, while Vuvulane Town Board (represented by Town Clerk Melusi Hlanze), were allegedly not complying with a court order which was granted on February 20, 2023.
Court
The above-mentioned persons were the first to fourth respondent in the matter (local government elections at Vuvulane Town Board), which the concerned Vuvulane Town residents (10) took to court. In the judgment of February 20, 2023, the court ordered and directed the first to fourth respondents to take all reasonable steps to ensure the registration of eligible voters for the elections of Vuvulane Town Board councillors for the year 2023, forthwith.
The court also ordered and directed the minister (first respondent) to take all reasonable steps to ensure that eligible voters for Vuvulane Town Board do elect their own councillors as provided or contemplated in terms of Section 220 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Eswatini Act 001/2005.
Furthermore, the court ordered that under further and/or alternative relief, the respondents should reasonably extend the registration period in respect of Vuvulane Town Board elections.
In the notice to the AG’s Office, which is dated February 23, 2023, Lawyer Jele said his client had instructed him to update the respondents in the matter that they were not complying with the order which was granted by the court on February 20, 2023.
“This serves as a notice that if the order is not complied with by Friday February 24, 2023, we are under strict instructions to move contempt proceedings against your clients. Should that be necessary, costs at punitive scale will be sought from your client and a copy of this letter will be handed to court in motivation of the sought costs order,” reads part of the notice.
He added that as representatives of the concerned residents, they hoped this would not be necessary and the respondents would comply with the order of the court.
Acopy of the letter, which this publication has in its possession, was stamped at the AG’s Office on February 23, 2023 after the being served.
Efforts of getting a comment from the AG, Sifiso Khumalo, proved futile as questions were sent to him yesterday afternoon, but by the time of compiling this report, he had not responded. The AG was asked if his office had received the notice and what actions did his office take to ensure its clients complied with the court order.