WATCH: EFF members protest against corruption within eThekwini Municipality
Corruption- accused individuals should not be allowed to return to their jobs, says the EFF.
ECONOMIC Freedom Fighters’ members blockaded the workers entrance to the Durban City Hall, this morning, to protest against the corruption within the eThekwini Municipality.
There was a heavy police presence outside the hall as about 100 EFF members staged a sit-in on the hall’s steps.
ALSO READ: Suspended Durban City Manager ‘strolls’ back into office
The protest comes against the backdrop of reports that three corruption-accused officials have returned to work at the municipality.
They include Sipho Nzuza Manager, City Manager, Sandile Ngcobo, former Deputy Head of Supply Chain Management and Robbert Abbu, former Deputy Head of Durban Solid Waste department.
Nzuza, Ngcobo and Abbu are all out on bail for charges of fraud and corruption relating to an irregular 2017 DSW tender worth in excess of R430 million.
ALSO READ: Fraud and corruption case against Zandile Gumede adjourned to December
They are due back in court on 10 December. Vusimuzi Khoza MPL, EFF provincial chairperson, said even though they have not been found guilty in a court of law, there is enough evidence for them to be charged internally by the city and be removed from their posts.
“We cannot wait for the courts to finish. They cannot just come back to work like it’s business as usual,” said Khoza.
Ngcobo and Abbu have been moved to the disaster and electricity departments respectively to accommodate their bail conditions.
Abbu is said to have retired with full benefits but the city has not confirmed that information.
“They steal from one department get caught and then get moved to another department to steal again because that is the ANC’s way,” said Khoza.
Khoza said they are planning on sustaining the protests until their demands are met by the city.
Their demands are:
*For Nzuza and Ngcobo to be internally charged and removed from their positions while awaiting trial.
*Investigate overtime at the Metro Police and the hiring of Metro Police officers as private security guards for councillors.
* Investigate alleged corruption at the electricity department relating to the cancelled maintenance contracts.
* For Krish Kumar, eThekwini Municipality’s Chief Financial Officer, who Khoza said has overseen a lot of corruption in the city without ever being implicated despite his senior position.
The DA has also condemned the returning of corruption-accused individuals to their jobs, saying the city was not taking corruption seriously.
Berea Mail sent questions to the eThekwini Municipality and no response had been received by time of publication.
Caxton Local Media Covid-19 reporting
