The Democratic Alliance in the Eastern Cape Legislature has asked for the Minister of Cooperative Governance, Richard Baloyi, to intervene in the delay of appointing a municipal manager for the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro.
I have today engaged with my parliamentary colleague, John Steenhuizen, DA Shadow Minister of Cooperative Governance and asked him to get the minister to intervene in the matter.
The dithering of the MEC for Local Government, Mlibo Qoboshiyane, shows that he and his department are unsure of a way forward in the matter.
We have embarked on this course of action because the MEC Qoboshiyane does not answer his cell phone and his voice message states he is out of circulation until 23 February. Calls to the department number left on the cell phone message of the MEC go unanswered.
By not attending to this crisis, the MEC and his departmental staff are showing their contempt to the welfare of the citizens of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro.
Since 31 January the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro has been left dysfunctional due to the non-appointment of an acting- or permanent municipal manager.
Three consecutive special council meetings to decide on and make this appointment were cancelled.
In addition, several portfolio committee meetings of council have been cancelled or postponed due to the Metro not having the services of a municipal manager.
Last week a meeting of the Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC) had to be cancelled and I am informed by DA caucus leader, Leon de Villiers, that the Budget and Treasury meeting scheduled for tomorrow (12 February) has also been postponed.
Not having a municipal manager renders a municipality dysfunctional.
Any decision taken or decided upon by an official can be declared null and void and have serious legal consequences for the Metro.
This situation shows how inefficient and dysfunctional the ruling party has become in governing the Metro.
It is obvious that internal fighting and factionalism within the ruling ANC is the direct cause of this chaos.
The citizens of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro have the glorious opportunity of rejecting such further governance by voting for another political alternative in the general election next year and the municipal elections in 2016.
Dacre Haddon, MPL
Editor’s Note: Kinda like degrees of poop – once you are in the poop you will stink no matter the degree!
