Mudslinging after payment delay

THE ANC uMlalazi Subregion is concerned about the failure of the municipality to pay its workers on time after many had debit orders bounce.

Sub-regional Secretary Ntuthuko Mhlongo has blamed the 'poor working relationship between managers, directors and the municipal manager' for mismanagement.

“We have been told the municipality is in financial crisis, and it has taken a resolution to borrow R30-million but nobody knows what for.

It seems as if this municipality is going to collapse soon,” said Mhlongo.

uMlalazi Municipality communications manager Nonhlanhla Jele apologised for the payment delay, which was 'for a few hours'.

“It is our policy to pay our workers timeously on the 20th of every month without fail. It is for this reason that we have tasked our municipal manager to expedite an internal investigation to establish facts about this unfortunate occurrence,” said Jele.

“We are putting our heads on the block by committing ourselves that if the investigation reveals there was a deliberate ploy that has led to this situation, we shall ensure whoever is responsible faces the consequences and we shall publicise the results.”

She added that they reject the 'political noise' made by the ANC with the 'contempt they deserve'.

“The ANC remains a [shadow] of its former self and is using this very unfortunate incident to try to resurrect itself from its political grave,” she said.

“Their unfounded allegations are a disgrace. We understand these are just acts of desperation and panic since they see the IFP growing in leaps and bounds.

“We recently received an unqualified audit opinion from the AuditorGeneral, which proves our municipality is financially stable and in capable hands," said Jele regarding the allegations of a financial crisis.

“We were also recently recognised by their own Cogta MEC as the best financially stable municipality.

“Their statement is contrary to the findings of the department, which translates to the fact that they did not properly do their research; all they are doing is fumbling for the sake of being politically relevant.”