Mayors refute MEC Zikalala’s claim

THE mayors of Mthonjaneni and Nkandla local municipalities have refuted the claim that they were invited to attend the launch of Operation Vula held at Ngwelezana on Tuesday.

This comes after the MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environment Affairs (EDTEA), Sihle Zikalala said he was worried that the two mayors failed to attend the launch even though they were invited.

Zikalala was speaking to hundreds of people from Umfolozi, eMhlathuze and uMlalazi local municipalities under King Cetshwayo District Municipality.

‘This worries me that if we come as a government to introduce our plans to fight poverty in province, these mayors fail to attend and fail even to send representatives from their municipalities,’said Zikalala.

But both mayors reject the claim.

‘We don’t know anything about that launch. It is new to us,’ said uMthonjaneni mayor, Sibongiseni Biyela and added that he always attends all government events when he is invited.

‘If I am too committed with municipal work, I always delegate someone to attend on my behind,’ said Biyela.

Nkandla Mayor, Thami Ntuli also dismissed the claim that he was invited.

‘When the MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Laison, Mxolisi Kaunda was here last week, we delegated our speaker to represent us.

‘This time around we did not receive any invitation from the department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environment Affairs,’ he said.

Ntuli added that even though they did not attend the launch, it did not mean residents from Nkandla will not benefit from the government programs.

EDTEA spokesman Siyabonga Maphumulo said that according to their records they invited all municipalities under King Cetshwayo for the launch of the Operation Vula program.

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