Bebsie Cronje Cllr – DA Newcastle Municipality Caucus Leader
The Democratic Alliance in Newcastle is calling on KZN Corporative Government and Traditional Affairs MEC, Sipho Hlomuka, to urgently intervene in Newcastle’s deteriorating state of decline due to corruption-riddled ANC governance.
In the past weeks, a forensic report that was handed down by former Newcastle Mayor Adv Makhosini Nkosi, allegedly to the local ANC leadership. It is further alleged that this hand over may have occurred as early as January this year to ANC’s Newcastle Regional Chair, Ntuthuko Mahlaba. This report implicates a number of ANC members and officials in massively corrupt activities. Adv Nkosi publicly confirmed this two weeks ago.
The report dates corruption as far back as the times of Former Mayor Afzul Rehman. The DA’s call to MEC Hlomuka is that swift action is taken against those implicated in corruption no matter their political or social standing.
Newcastle Municipality is currently running on “autopilot” as the mayor, Councillor Ntuthuko Mahlaba, is on 30-days “Special Leave” to deal with murder charges levelled against him. Furthermore, the municipality has no Deputy mayor to act nor a municipal Speaker.
All the while critical decisions required in terms of legislation and service delivery is affected. It is an established fact that the financial standing of the municipality remains in the red. This situation remain untenable for the proper running of the town and is simply egg on the face of the embattled ANC in the region who seem to be running this municipality like a spaza shop.
Residents of Newcastle remain the victims of a self-serving, corrupt government that has no interest in bringing about a much-needed change in their lives. As we speak Newcastle Municipality sits with debt in excess of R200 million with ESKOM and in less than 10-years the books have moved from R700 million in savings to R400 million in debt. It is clear that there is no turnaround strategy from the useless ANC while their politicians continue to milk the municipality dry. Stifling service delivery in the process.
It is high time residents of Newcastle experience a good, caring and a corruption free government that will put their interests first. The DA will heighten the fight for the people and will not rest until justice is served. We expect that MEC Hlomuka will not sit on his hands like his predecessor did. Urgent intervention is required before Newcastle sinks to such levels the need to be put under administration becomes imminent like so many municipalities in KZN.