STATEMENT: COALITION of the POOR demands that the eThekwini municipality be put under national administration!
KZN Civil Society notes with much consternation, alarm and concern, that the eThekwini Mayor of KwaZulu-Natal’s only Metro, is facing such damning fraud and corruption charges. The Court concurs in its assessment of the charges by imposing on her bail, as well as instructing her to surrender her passport. There must be very significant reasons and the logic behind these actions. Furthermore, the Court instructed Zandile Gumede not to interfere with witnesses. We will safely assume these to be constituents of the Legal and Financial Department as well as Supply Chain Management.
Hence, as Civil Society, we very vociferously demand that the municipality be put under national administration. The National government to establish a commission of enquiry and all tenders awarded during the time of Zandile Gumede be investigated. The Commission must investigate all the killings and intimidation of activists and people in the hostels in eThekwini.
The current debacle has brought shame and embarrassment to the whole Metro, and its citizens. We simply cannot trust her to abide by the Court’s rulings to conduct herself, as required by the Court, if she remains in office. Her record of failing to respond to the calls of society by means of not responding to memorandums of understanding as well as dishonouring meetings is another display of her inability to lead. If she chooses not to step down, voluntarily, it would mean that she has no respect for the Citizens of the Metro, and cares very little in terms of ethics or morality.
If the ANC decides not to take appropriate action, then we have to surmise the “New Dawn” promise is just hot air, and part of electioneering ploy. If the ANC sits back quietly, then it will give credence to the belief that factionalism is, indeed an ANC reality, and that their President, and the ANC itself – lied to their own voters, regarding the promise to rid the country of corruption, poor service – delivery and justice!
The Citizens of eThekwini have suffered enough, and unnecessarily. Consider the housing shortages, health and transport issues, lack of job-creation, amongst a host of so many other problems that the poorest of the poor have to live with, civil society has now decided that ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!! THE ROT MUST STOP!!!
The Mayor, by her actions, has very clearly demonstrated that rule of law, procedures, protocols, justice, logic, and just plain common-sense, do not apply to her, and others in her fiefdom.
What this city needs right now, is good leadership, direction, and action that is free from corruption, mismanagement, injustice and gross incompetence.
