The Democratic Alliance in the Ray Nkonyeni Local Municipality (RNM) today calls on the KwaZulu-Natal Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) MEC, Rev. Thulasizwe Buthelezi to immediately intervene as municipal services have come to a grinding halt due to a dispute between municipal employees and the administration.
We are further calling for an investigation into the conduct of the Municipal Manager, Mr Khetha Zulu who has been at the center of the dispute, and for disciplinary steps to be taken where necessary.
For several weeks, municipal employees have embarked on intermittent collective action against the administration of the municipality. At the center of the issue is a failed attempt to negotiate an amicable settlement between the workers and municipal administration resulting in court action and arbitration.
The Municipal Manager and the administration have not kept the Council briefed despite various attempts to request a proper situational briefing . The DA was told by Mayor Zodwa Mzindle , to “trust us with the negotiations”.
We are of the view that the municipal manager and his senior officials have failed in getting this issue resolved. They have failed to effectively communicate to council and the residents we serve. This crisis could have been avoided through transparent negotiations held in good faith between the municipal administration and the staff.
The DA calls on the leadership of Ray Nkonyeni Municipality to exercise political leadership and to hold those responsible accountable for disrupting services to residents and causing damage to municipal infrastructure. The residents of Ray Nkonyeni Municipality must always come first and not be pawns in political warfare