A draft budget road show in Sibongile ended chaotically yesterday after Mayor Richard Mbatha was insulted by those in the hall.
He was advised to leave the meeting as the crowd did not listen to appeals to hear him out.
The meeting, that covered Wards 4 and 5, started tensely after some in the crowd took objection to the Mayor’s bodyguard/s being in the hall.
After some debate the guards retreated. Insults were hurled when the Mayor mentioned that 700 jobs had been created by the municipality for local people.

Residents shouted out that no one in Sibongile had benefited (from these jobs).

Despite appeals from Ward 5 Councillor, Siduduzo Mdluli for the crowd to ‘respect and hear what has to be said about the budget’, the crowd again became rowdy when the Mayor got up to address them again.

The Mayor said he is very familiar with all the projects planned and was disappointed that some in the crowd had chosen to insult him. As the shouting and pushing continued in the hall, it was decided that the Mayor should rather withdraw. Similar meetings are being held throughout the municipal area but this was the first one that collapsed due to ‘rowdiness’.