KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) CoGTA MEC, Bongiwe Sithole-Moloi’s focus on uMngeni Municipality’s finances has again exposed the ANC’s double-standards when it comes to oversight and accountability.
This as the MEC – who is infamous for her inaction – rises from her slumber and jumps to investigate the DA-led municipality.
The DA is unsurprised by the Taliban faction ANC-run provincial government’s response to the recent A-G report. It symbolises the continued focus on weaponizing CoGTA instead of creating the service delivery arm so desperately need.
The irony is also not lost on the DA as the MEC and her cabinet members pay little attention to the collapsing ANC-run eThekwini Metro with its R2.4 billion irregular expenditure bill or Msunduzi’s R70million wasteful expenditure bill or Umgungundlovu’s R256 million in unauthorized expenditure.
The MEC’s inaction over these key municipalities proves yet again she only stirs when it suits her narrow party-political agenda.
While the DA is committed to transparent governance– and willing and able to explain the A-G’s findings to MEC Sithole-Moloi – she should also remember that she is MEC for the entire province and that she took an oath to execute her duties fairly, without fear or favour. Regrettably this is not something she seems willing to do.
When someone buys a house that is dirty and falling apart, it has to be cleaned first. The same applied when the DA took over uMngeni municipality from the ANC.
While the DA is working hard to improve the municipality’s financial status and audit findings, Mayor Chris Pappas and his team had to clean house first. This meant investigating and removing eight managers who were ANC cadres within Supply Chain Management (SCM) and Human Resources (HR).
The reality is that oversight of KZN’s municipalities has come to a complete standstill, with the COGTA portfolio committee not having had a full meeting in more than six months. This as ANC election preparation is placed before the needs of the people.
The DA calls on committee Chairperson, Zinhle Cele, to urgently review the A-G reports and cast the spotlight on KZN municipalities including eThekwini where irregular expenditure runs into the billions. We also reiterate our call to MEC Sithole-Moloi to do the right thing and dissolve the dysfunctional eThekwini council.
If she and KZN’s ANC-run cabinet truly cared about our province and its people they would go out and find the real problems and fix them.