The Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber, the South African NGO Coalition, the Nelson Mandela Bay Ratepayers Association and Cosatu have recognised the need to the citizens and associations in Port Elizabeth, Uitenhage and Despatch to stand together against the ‘shenanigans’ currently taking place at City Hall.
This coalition believes that it is their duty as civil society organizations, and representatives of the interests of business in Nelson Mandela Bay, to state firmly and clearly that; “…the current state of
affairs in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro are untenable. Our common ground is the need for stability in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, and an uncompromising belief in the importance of good governance with strong and effective leadership.”
The organizations have registered their collective concern at grave issues that have recently come to light within the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro regarding political interference in the duties of the City Manager and recent efforts to suspend her from her position and believe it is right to table their interest in the matter of the City Manager, and seek relief on behalf of the business community, civil society and the Ratepayer Association. It is time for civil society to be taken seriously.
As a collective, a deputation request has been put forward to the Speaker in the Nelson Mandela Metro Council to present civil societies concerns and interests and they are seeking an audience with President Jacob Zuma for a delegation representing business and civil society, with legal counsel being sought on a right of recourse, as per the Municipal Management Act and the Constitution.
Dr Lindiwe Msengana-Ndlela has held the position of City Manager since 1 March 2013 and has not even served three months. Msengana-Ndlela was appointed after a period of three years, during which a lack of strong administrative leadership has cost our city dearly and has seen business and civil society suffer severe impediments to service delivery. The collective believes that her appointment presented Nelson Mandela Bay with an opportunity to commit itself to action, good governance, efficiency and the proactive engagement of all stakeholders in the interests of building a competitive and sustainable environment in which both citizens and business could thrive.
There is an absolute need for institutional stability and for good governance to prevail. The consequences of this level of interference have severe ramifications, putting service delivery and stability at severe risk, and compromising the current and future investment environment.
It is the belief of the groups here represented that the City Manager is doing exactly what is expected of someone in her position and stand behind her firmly with regard to her unwavering administrative leadership to ensure that we position the city for the future it so readily deserves.
NMBBC and the NMB Ratepayers Association advocate for a model of co-operation and structured partnership between business, civil society and the City Manager.
It was agreed for the sake of good governance, stable administration and an environment conducive for all ratepayers in the city, that civil society, the Ratepayers Association and the Business Chamber should stand together as a unified voice and pursue joint actions to ensure that we are taken seriously and our interests are clearly heard.
Alan Straton
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