Nepotism to be probed at municipality

Nombulelo Damba-Hendrik

The National Treasury is to probe allegations of nepotism and “jobs for sale” at the Amahlathi local municipality following weeks of protests in Stutterheim.

This was announced by Eastern Cape department of cooperative governance and traditional affairs MEC Fikile Xasa this week after a meeting with protesters.

“We need to find lasting solutions,” said Xasa.

But protesters have vowed to continue their protest until all their demands are met.

On Wednesday, two trucks were set alight on the N6. Police spokesperson Siphokazi Mawisa said police had to use rubber bullets to disperse the crowd. .

Stutterheim youth have been protesting since last month.

One man died in hospital after police action and the case is being investigated by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate.

Two municipal buildings and a clinic have been burned and a truck carrying juice was burned two weeks ago.

Amahlathi local municipality spokesperson Anathi Nyoka said the Stutterheim offices were not operating, and employees were not at work. She said only the Keiskammahoek and Cathcart satellite offices were operating.

One of the protest leaders, who did not want to be named, said the protests were intended to speed up the investigation.

“Last month after our first protest we had a meeting with the municipal officials and Xasa. Resolutions were taken but none were followed. This investigation they are going to conduct was suppose to start last month but that did not happen,” he said.

He said they had told Xasa that, if their demands were not met, they would not vote in national and local elections.

“For now we agreed to let businesses operate and workers return to work but when the municipality starts to operate again we want to see change,” said the protest leader.

“We are tired of people who abuse their power.

“People are not hired because they qualify for the job.

“They have to buy it or know someone inside.

“We are tired of that and we won’t rest until we see corrupt officials being fired.”

The protests would continue until protesters were given a time-frame for the investigation, he said. – Republished from Groundup.org. za

We are tired and we won’t rest until we see corrupt officials being fired.

Stutterheim protest leader