UTHUNGULU District Municipality Deputy Mayor, Cllr Thulani Mashaba has issued a stern warning to lazy councillors, saying they need to respect their jobs and the people who elected them.
Mashaba was speaking at the City of uMhlathuze’s ‘Taking Council to the Communty,’ held at Nongweleza Sportsfield at KwaMadlebe.
He said elected councillors should engage more often with their communities to prevent service delivery protests, such as the one which was organised by the community of Mandlazini, prior to the national general election held on 7 May this year.
‘There is no need for service delivery protests. The only time we see people embarking on service delivery protests, is when they are being kept in the dark, with issues directly affecting them.
‘As councillors It is your duty to keep your communities informed of any development taking place in your areas.
‘People will not take to the streets and demand electricity, houses and water, but if they are being kept in the dark of the delays in the delivery of such services, they will be at war with you,’ he said.
Mashaba also took a swipe at some lazy officials who he said were making the lives of councillors difficult.
‘We need to convey a similar message to our municipal officials, who are failing in their duties to deliver. We are yet to see community members marching to the house of municipal official to demand better services, instead we see them marching to a councillor’s house. ‘When you execute your duties, be grateful you have a job and show some respect, and just think about those who were also eyeing the same job you are doing,’ he said.
Third sitting
Deputy Mayor for City of uMhlathuze, Cllr Zethu Gumbi said taking council to the community was another form of celebrating 20 years of democracy.
‘We are here to strengthen relations between local government and you, the people. We are also celebrating 20 years of peace in our province, in our district and of course in the City of uMhlathuze,’ she said.
She also used the opportunity to thank the community of KwaMadlebe for coming out in their large numbers to cast their vote on election day.
According to the Speaker, Cllr Mvuseni Mnqayi, this was the third sitting of council outside the chamber.
‘We started this process of taking council to the community in 2012 in eSikhaleni, and the second one was held last year in Nseleni.’
Mayor Cllr Elphas Mbatha said he was pleased that the community of Ward 25 (KwaMadlebe) had benefited by he delivery of houses, water and electricity.
‘We know that there are communities who are still without these basic services, but we can assure you that no part of this area will be left out, in the delivery of basic services.’
Back to council, almost all items were agreed on, except one concern raised by Cllr Musa Mbokazi. Mbokazi questioned the continued absenteeism of Cllr Njabulo Mlaba at most council meetings, and urged the Speaker to take drastic measures against Mlaba.
Speaker Mvuseni Mnqayi noted the concern raised by Cllr Mbokazi.
