Rooting out municipal incompetence a priority

On two facing pages in Monday’s edition of the Zululand Observer, two contrasting leading stories deal with local municipal competencies.

The one article announces that the uThungulu District Municipality has won the KZN Premier’s Service Excellence award for ‘showing a consistent record of financial prudence and sterling performance management through integrity, accountability and transparency’ – among other lofty things.

While some cynics will question the criteria applied and true value of such awards, the fact of the matter is that uThungulu was judged as the best of the best in the province and Zululanders should take pride in this.

It sets a benchmark of excellence for others to follow – something that seems to escape the fumbling leaders in neighbouring Mtubatuba Municipality.

The provincial Administrator appointed to sort out the gargantuan mess there, created by squabbling hot-headed politicians, despondently declared that all efforts of intervention to bring about order have failed dismally.

Bamba Ndwandwe didn’t mince his words, saying Mtubatuba Municipality’s functionality is zero.

A serious accusation, but Ndwandwe is no doubt one of those rare officials who takes his responsibilities seriously, refusing to buckle under pressure when public interest and public funds are being abused.

Small wonder then that his removal was one of the transparent items on the agenda during recent strikes in the town.

Too often in this country, effective officials working for the people as their job descriptions demand, are attacked and maligned when they refuse to compromise their integrity by sweeping the misdeeds of ‘connected’ people under the carpet.

Think Thuli Madonsela.

We trust the province and Ndwandwe will remain firm in their resolve to do the right thing.

They owe it to the Mtuba ratepayers who deserve competent management of their affairs.