#Letter: The right man to put KwaDukuza back on track

Former KDM mayor Siyanda Mhlongo writes:

The appointment of councillor Sduduzo Gumede as mayor of KwaDukuza municipality is a victory for active citizenry and progressive thinking in the local ANC.

The main problem is that the voters have no power to elect and recall the president, premiers and mayors. It then requires pressure of citizens and democratic and constitutional minded people inside and outside ANC to demand a recall of any delinquent and mischievous leader.

In KwaDukuza, a delinquent person was imposed on us because, I believe, some comrades in the region and province wanted to molest our public purse but we refused.

It was also unacceptable to the ANC that the previous mayor spent R170 000 a month on his personal security. During his leadership R35.7-million was also stolen in a cyber attack. This is being investigated by the Hawks and SIU. The new mayor and all councillors must demand a report from the municipal manager because I believe the beneficiaries are known including monies allegedly withdrawn and donated to a particular church organisation.

Our appreciation goes to the provincial leadership of the ANC led by Jeff Radebe and Mike Mabuyakhulu who thoroughly investigated the alleged abuse of power and vehicles by previous political principals.

Now that former mayor Lindile Nhaca has been acquitted on all charges against her, the deputy-mayor position should be allocated to her. I am fully aware that the position of deputy-mayor is highly contested because the deputy-mayor chairs the committee on infrastructure. Those who are corrupt in all councils in our republic, together with the tenderpreneurs, would like to have their own puppets who will hunt tenders for them in return for bribes. We do not want a deputy-mayor who will have a permanent en suite in the pockets of tenderpreneurs and clash with the mandate that has been given to mayor Gumede.

The mayor and the deputy must work together otherwise factionalism will continue paralysing the administration.

At the 1997 Mahikeng Conference, Nelson Mandela said “the ANC must purge mercenaries” who do not understand that being a public representative is to solve the problems of the people rather than self enrichment and an opulent lifestyle.

A lot of work is awaiting mayor Gumede. He was able to turn around iLembe District Council, he can do it again.

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