SCOTTBURGH, KZN – The Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC, Rev. Thulasizwe Buthelezi, has re-assured community members under the Umdoni Local Municipality that the department will intervene appropriately to restore good governance and delivery of basic services.
This follows a direct engagement that took place this morning where the MEC met with the protesting members of the community that have blockaded the offices of the municipality, accusing it of service delivery failures and corruption.
In the meeting that took place outside the municipal offices, MEC Buthelezi expressed his concern at the inability of the municipal leadership to deal with the issues raised by the community, which include allegations of corruption and service delivery failures.
The MEC also highlighted the inability of the council to address the Section 106 forensic investigation conducted by Cogta in 2018 and its recommendations, which have yet to be acted upon by the council.
“The failure to act on the forensic investigation by the council creates an unfavourable perception of how seriously the municipality takes the issue of corruption,” said MEC Buthelezi.
In the meeting with the community, MEC Buthelezi committed to writing to the council speaker to convene an urgent meeting to address the matters raised by the community. “We are committed to seeing the concerns of the community being addressed by the municipality. Transparency and accountability are crucial in restoring trust and ensuring effective service delivery,” said MEC Buthelezi.
Furthermore, MEC Buthelezi called on the Exco of the municipality to exercise proper oversight and not allow matters to go unresolved. “The Executive Committee must take a proactive role in ensuring that these issues are addressed promptly and effectively,” he added.
MEC Buthelezi also called upon the community to allow due processes to be followed in the investigation of corruption allegations. “It is essential that we follow proper procedures to ensure that justice is served and trust is restored,” he stated.
The MEC stressed that resolving these issues is a priority and that every effort will be made to ensure the municipality functions effectively and serves the community as expected.
The MEC is committed to supporting municipalities across the province so that they can function effectively and will not hesitate to act where municipalities are not acting in the interest of residents.
ENDS
Issued by: KwaZulu-Natal Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs