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Renewed call for an independent investigation into Makana Municipality administration

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Dear MyPE

The Democratic Alliance (DA) Caucus in the Makana Local Municipality has submitted a motion to the Council requesting an independent investigation into the administration of the municipality. We are also asking that the Municipal Manager be suspended pending the outcome of such an investigation.

This follows after a High Court judgment called for the Premier of the Eastern Cape, Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane, to dissolve the Council immediately in terms of Section 137 (C) of the Constitution. The ANC-led Council, the Premier and the Eastern Cape MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Xolile Nqatha, is appealing the judgment.

The DA Caucus agreed to take these steps after the last full council meeting which was conducted virtually on 5 August 2020.

During the council meeting, it emerged that there had been no Portfolio Committee meetings since the announcement of the lockdown, nor had there been any sittings of the Mayoral Committee.

We are tired of the seemingly eternal disclaimers that the municipality receives from the Auditor-General. Over and above the court order ordering the MEC to dissolve the Council, there have been several other court cases concerning the management of the Municipal dump and sewerage issues in the municipality.

In a well-run municipality – civil society should not have to resort to taking such steps to ensure that the municipality does what it is constitutionally mandated to do.

The bigger tragedy is that Makana is not even the worst municipality in the province, or even the country. Local Government in South Africa is in a state of collapse and is only functioning in DA controlled areas. What is infuriating is that Makana should not be in this position. We are a university Municipality, and we have a solid rates base. We should be an example.

The DA is hopeful that its proposals will be debated at the next council meeting.

The long-suffering people of Makana have been deprived of their right to service delivery for years.

The DA intends on calling for fresh elections as soon as it is safe to do so, to ensure that the people of Makana get the level of service delivery they deserve.

Regards

Cllr Brian Fargher
DA Makana Caucus Leader

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