The head of environmental resources and waste management has until the end of April to come up with a strategy to improve the collapsed state of her department.
The DA in Ekurhuleni had been pursuing the matter of poor waste removal services in especially Kempton Park for some time now and was delighted with this decision by the City of Ekurhuleni.
In February this year, the DA called for the suspension of Faith Mabindisa.
Philip de Lange, the DA leader in the metro, at the time called on city manager Dr Imogen Mashazi and executive mayor Mzwandile Masina to suspend Mabindisa. He also called for the removal of Clr Khosi Mabaso as the MMC for Environment and Waste Management.
At the latest council meeting on February 27, the DA tabled a motion requesting an urgent debate in proposing that council institutes a full investigation into the alleged misconduct and alleged mismanagement by Mabindisa and that a full report be submitted to council on the findings, said Ald André du Plessis, DA shadow MMC for Environment and Waste Management services in Ekurhuleni.
“We further requested that council suspends Mrs Mabindisa until the investigation is completed and the findings and recommendations are reported to council.”
But this was not to happen.
Mabaso rejected the motion in council. However, the chief whip of council, Jongizizwe Dlabathi, and the speaker of council, Ald Patricia Kumalo, realised there was merit to the motion and that certain supply chain management issues needed to be resolved.
“As a DA victory, the urgent matter was referred back to oversight to discuss further assessment on the performance of Mrs Mabindisa and evaluate her through proper assessment channels with performance targets,” said Du Plessis.
“Mrs Mabindisa was also given a time allocation, until the end of April 2020, to come up with a turnaround plan and strategy to improve the collapsed state of her department.
“The issues on non-functionality of the depots for waste removal and grass cutting will have to be unbundled to ascertain exactly where the problems originate. As the DA, we have vowed to leave no stone unturned in ensuring that Mrs Mabindisa either shapes up or undergoes the necessary disciplinary action,” added Du Plessis.
“We cannot allow our residents to continue to suffer the lack of basic service delivery while HODs under perform.”
