Protesters blocked roads following a failed meeting with uMngeni officials. Photo: The Witness
Two ANC uMngeni Municipality councillors will appear before a disciplinary hearing after being charged for instigating July’s violent protest, which resulted in the destruction of property and financial losses to the council.
In July, the municipality, which is run by the DA, was the scene of protests after some residents took to the streets over electricity supply issues.
Residents of the Mpophomeni Township in the uMngeni Municipality engaged in violent protests following power outages in the area, due to a faulty transformer.
According to sources, video footage and photographs taken during the protest identified the two ANC councillors as the leaders of the protest.
The decision to charge the two ANC councillors followed an analysis of the video footage, which clearly shows the two councillors participating in the protest. The municipality had brought in security to stablise the volatile situation. The municipality suffered losses to the tune of about R150 000.
uMngeni Municipality speaker, Janice Holmes, declined to comment on the matter.
The municipality can only issue a comment once all processes have been concluded.
ANC Moses Mabhida region spokesperson, Njabulo Mtolo, said the party was concerned about reports that its councillors have been charged.
Our view is that it’s the DA who should have been charged for failure to deliver services to the residents of Mpophomeni. The residents embarked on the protest after the DA-led municipality had failed to supply them with electricity.
The protesters, who brought traffic in the municipality to a standstill, after blocking the R617 to Underberg and Bulwer, marched to the offices of uMngeni Municipality mayor, Chris Pappas.
At the time of the protest, Pappas, who accused the ANC of instigating the protest, tweeted a video showing the protesters being given food by people, who Pappas labelled as “members of the ANC”.
The uMngeni Municipality which, before last year’s November municipal elections, was under the control of the ANC, fell to the DA after voters in the area backed the country’s official opposition.
Since assuming power in November, the DA has accused the ANC of destabilising the municipality, as part of the ruling party’s plan to dislodge the DA from power at the council.
Prior to the DA taking over the municipality, it was the scene of service delivery protests.
While the municipality has the power to suspend or fine councillors, it requires the endorsement of KwaZulu-Natal Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) MEC, Sihle Zikalala, to remove a councillor.