MEC cracks the whip over Jozini office bearers

THE KwaZulu-Natal Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs has laid down conditions for today’s council meeting in Jozini in a bid to ensure that the council finally elects office bearers.

MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube is determined to break the stalemate.

The municipality has an equal number of votes in the council between the ANC and IFP, with their respective coalition partners.

The conditions include that all councillors must remain in the meeting for the duration and may not leave unless given permission by the presiding officer.

“The political deadlock that has paralysed Jozini must come to an end.

“The people of Jozini expect their municipality to function as it should and fulfil its constitutional mandate without further Dube-Ncube.

“Our rules for the council sitting make no provision for further procrastination. No interruptions will be tolerated, including requests for ad hoc caucus meetings.”

The department said due to failure by the political parties to resolve the matters on their own, the MEC was now applying the legislation to the letter regarding the proceedings.

“This implies that if the delay,” said voting process (through a secret ballot) produces a stalemate the new leadership will be determined either by the toss of a coin or by drawing a lot.

“Our appeal is for political maturity on the part of all political players in Jozini,” said Dube-Ncube.

IFP leader Albert Mncwango said they were ready for the meeting. “What is important to us is to form the municipality, because this stalemate is affecting the Umkhanyakude District municipality’s service delivery.”

ANC provincial secretary Super Zuma said while they would comply with all the legal processes, they still believed that a rerun would be the better option.

“Even if you spin a coin, you are creating an unstable municipality that will not function because everything will have to be decided by the spinning of a coin,” he said.