The meltdown in the Endumeni Council which last week saw a shouting match between ANC Councillors and the IFP Mayor, Richard Mbatha and Speaker, Bongiwe Mbatha, has been described as a ‘crisis for the town’.
The squabble was sparked by the IFP/DA/EFF alliance’s resolve to suspend the chief financial officer, Bonga Mkhize.
FC Bester of the Endumeni Residents Association, ERA, said the way the meeting had gone ‘was a serious embarrassment’.
“There appears to be more internal squabbles than any progress in helping to make moves to develop our area by consulting business people for input. There are just a series of crisis meetings and threats of intervention for the province. Take a look around the industrial area: it is in tatters – rutted roads, cattle wandering around – no investor would dream of settling in Endumeni’.

Mr Bester said it was ‘no secret that the economy was taking strain’. “Talk to businesses and they will all tell you how their profit has plummeted. Dundee is scruffy. People are shopping in Newcastle, which is so sad. But how do we fix it? We call on the Council to meet with a panel of concerned business and community people for a broad discussion on issues.
“These issues will centre on the poor infrastructure, a creative way to attract investment and the need for the Council to work together. If there has been wrong-doing in the past, certainly – charge those who are implicated. But please let’s get this town working again.”
Mr Bester said he would ‘soon be rounding up’ the business people and community leaders to have a ’round table discussion with the Council and senior officials’.
“This is now the time to put our town first and greed second. We cannot have a situation where our Council Chamber is like a cowboy movie” he concluded.