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Cradock and Middelburg united in demands for urgent provincial intervention in Inxuba Yethemba Council

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Dear MyPE

The recent spate of protests by community members in Cradock has as of last week Friday, now spread to Middelburg. These protests have left at least two people dead, while calls for urgent intervention by the provincial government has seen little results.

The unhappiness from the community stems from various allegations of corruption, maladministration and service delivery failures by the Inxuba Yethemba Municipal Council.

The Municipality has been marred by various allegations of fraud and corruption over the last couple of months. Last month the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation Unit in East London swooped down on the Inxuba Yethemba Municipality (IYM) offices and seized documentation relating to fraud and corruption tender irregularities worth R26 million.

On 9 October 2020, Mr Mbebe, the Director for Corporate Services in the Municipality, was appointed as Acting Municipal Manager of the Inxuba Yethemba Municipality (IYM). This has further angered an irate community as Mbebe, who has allegedly criminally been charged for stock theft, now heads up this beleaguered administration.

While the Eastern Cape MEC for CoGTA, Xolile Nqatha, has sent a team to lead an investigation into the allegations made by the community of IYM, the residents are concerned that this investigation will be derailed by senior officials who are implicated in the alleged maladministration and /or corruption.

Yesterday I met with community leaders in Cradock as well as the Cradock Business Forum. The business forum has pledged their support to the community in demanding urgent intervention from the provincial government into the affairs of this municipality.

I have indicated to the concerned community leaders and business owners alike, that I will request Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane to urgently intervene and second a suitably qualified Municipal Manager to IYM under a Section 154 Constitutional Support Program.

See letter here.

This intervention is of vital importance as the province would need an impartial and uncompromised Municipal Manager to provide CoGTA with the necessary information so that a suitable corrective intervention can be facilitated in the municipality.

In a rare showing of solidarity, the entire community now demands that action be taken against a failing, uncaring municipal administration that has all but destroyed one of the biggest rural economies in the Eastern Cape.

The people of IYM deserve better, and therefore the DA will continue to fight for a just, caring and competent administration.

Regards

Retief Odendaal, MPL
EC Midlands Constituency Leader

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