The Inkatha Freedom Party in uGu District is concerned that the ANC’s infighting is affecting the functionality of Umuziwabantu Local Municipality in Harding.
“The municipality is operating without a Director of Corporate Services and a Head of Finance. These positions have been vacant for more than four years, with individuals being appointed on acting capacity. Plans to fill these critical positions on a permanent basis are currently being delayed due to what is perceived to be ANC infighting within the municipality.
The municipal council continues to delay the appointment of the permanent officials in order to accelerate the services, due to political infighting and cadre deployment within the ANC.
We are now more convinced than ever that these alarmingly high vacancies are not as a result of the lack of skilled individuals in municipalities but rather that jobs are factionally reserved for certain individuals as payment for pushing political agendas. We cannot keep quiet while Umuziwabantu Municipality is gradually turned into factional employment agency for some.
Furthermore, the council failed to meet the deadline of passing the budget and the integrated development plan as it was approved in June. We are of the opinion that this was also caused by the ongoing ANC infighting,” said the IFP Exco Member in Umuziwabantu Municipality, Vuyelwa Sambo Vezi.
“It is unfortunate that some ANC led municipalities have now been turned into political power battlegrounds for the ANC such as Umuziwabantu Municipality, forgetting their core mandate of providing services to the people. These internal ANC political battles have rendered Umziwabantu Municipality dysfunctional.
What is more of concern now is that this infighting affects service delivery. The ongoing factional battles among those in power is taking its toll on the poor who are dire need of service delivery.
“We are calling on the KZN MEC of COGTA, Nomusa Dube-Ncube to take an active role in resolving the crisis in Umuziwabantu Municipality, as ANC factional politics seem to affect the proper running of the municipality,” concluded Cllr Sambo Vezi.
Issued by:
IFP Exco Member in Umuziwabantu Local Municipality
Vuyelwa Sambo Vezi
083 995 9203
