Councillor questions TCM’s motives in fixing potholes

LYDENBURG – “Many businesses have been helping Thaba Chweu Municipality (TCM) to repair roads and potholes but have not been asked what party they belong to,” the executive mayor of TCM, Cllr Michael Ncongwane said when the DA accused Thaba Chweu officials of misusing municipal equipment for electioneering purposes.

Following the election last Wednesday, DA Cllr Farhad Essack yet again accused the ANC of having used municipality vehicles, equipment and staff to influence voters by wearing ANC shirts while filling potholes. “Holes were being repaired at the Kellysville intersection under the leadership of the mayor Michael Ncongwane and Jacob Phala.”

Essack said everybody, including municipal employees, was clad in ANC T-shirts attempting to create an impression that it was the ANC and not the municipality that was repairing the potholes. “When I called the mayor he replied that there was nothing wrong with this as they were fixing the potholes. The DA was welcome to put on T-shirts and to come and assist.”

Essack confirmed that he wrote a letter to the speaker of the muni-cipality, Cllr Susan Magagula informing her of the situation. He stated in the letter to Magagula, “You will recall that I objected strongly when TCM’s cars were driven and utilised by the ANC during the registration weekend in February, spending the taxpayer’s money for electioneering purposes. I also object strongly to the use of the municipality vehicles and employees by the ANC for these purposes.

“I ask that this matter be taken seriously and that an investigation be conducted urgently to see to it that none of TCM’s assets be utilised on election day and that any overtime claimed by its employees who have worked under the ANC banner on a public holiday at this event, not be paid.”

Ncongwane responded to the allegations of misuse and told the newspaper that when he looked at TCM he saw a municipality belonging to everyone. “It is there for black and white, for the DA and even for the EFF. It’s for all of us. It doesn’t favour any party. The roads in Thaba Chweu belong to all of us. We all drive them and if I hit a pothole, anybody can hit one.

“My take is, if I find people in the street busy fixing potholes, then I should be excited. They are fixing roads and helping us, and we should appreciate it.”

He said holes were being repaired all the time. On that particular day, the information he had received was that the municipality had gone out on the public holiday to fix potholes as usual. As officials were busy many community members joined them. In TCM there are no ANC or DA roads, it’s everyone’s roads.

He confirmed that some people were indeed dressed in ANC T-shirts.

“But it was not was only ANC, many other community members joined in.

“I see no problem if they were helping the municipality, I actually appreciate the effort made by them and the municipal workers to work, even on a public holiday. Personally I don’t care whether it’s the DA or the ANC. Cllr Essack has also been fixing his own road by filling up the potholes.

“We appreciate it and thank him for that,” Ncongwane said.

Essack, however, said he still questioned why TCM equipment with municipal employees dressed in ANC T-shirts claimed that the ANC was fixing these roads and not the municipality.