EDITOR: So we now have Gary and Retief firing shots at each other playing the blame game over the appointment of Anele Qaba as the CEO of the MBDA. Essentially Gary says that Retief is responsible for the cock up identified by the Minister of Finance and that it is not Gary’s problem as the cock up didn’t happen on his watch. BUT, what young Gary (the man with too many lightening cables and powerbanks) fails to acknowledge is that HE IS NOW IN CHARGE and needs to make a decision as he has the power to do so. Gary took over so Gary needs to step up and be the Mayor and facilitate the proper handing of this matter. BE A MAN GARY and step up!
The statement released by Mayor Gary is below:
We are deeply concerned that a member of Council played a key role in National Treasury withholding the Equitable Share Grant (R591,2 million), resulting in the implementation of projects being put on hold.
The leader of the opposition, Councillor Retief Odendaal, not only played a key role in facilitating the golden handshake with Mr Anele Qaba, he was also the Executive Mayor when the shortlisting for the position of CEO of MBDA was concluded at the end of April. Councillor Odendaal was unseated on Friday, 26 May.
In addition, as if cleansed from all complicity, the very same Councillor Odendaal wrote to National Treasury to complain about the very same appointment.
In a letter from the Minister of Finance, Honourable Enoch Godongwana, he describes the golden handshake as “fruitless and wasteful expenditure which must be recovered”.
An urgent meeting of the Government of Local Unity took place on Thursday to discuss a way forward. I have now responded to the Minister and hope to meet with him and his team as soon as possible.
The actions or inaction of Councillor Retief Odendaal, while leading the municipality, and his subsequent ill-conceived political campaign placed the availability of much-needed funds in danger.
If this was simply done to score cheap political points, the residents of this municipality deserve better. The wellbeing and prosperity of residents from all corners of Nelson Mandela Bay cannot play second fiddle to outrageous and meaningless political theatre.
At this stage, projects – funded from the Equitable Share Grant, could not commence. We consider this travesty a direct affront against the residents of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, its Council and administration. A city starved of conscientious opposition and an accountable government, deserves better.
I would like to assure the residents of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality that I worked hard to address this matter and will not rest until an amicable solution is reached.
NMB Communications
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