Endumeni’s first Indian Mayor should be sworn in this morning. Dr Sandy Bedassi will also be the first DA Mayor to take the First Citizen’s chain.

He will be inducted at this morning when the Endumeni Executive Committee of Council votes him in shortly before he will table the 2018/19 municipal budget.

Deadline for passing the budget is today, May 31. Dr Bedassi, who previously served on the Umzinyathi District Council, before winning Ward 7 for the DA in the 2016 local government elections, will act as Mayor following last week’s sensational arrest of Mayor, Richard Mbatha, who is charged with plotting to kill Speaker and fellow IFP member, Bongiwe Mbatha-Makhathini.

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He will appear in the Estcourt Magistrate’s Court today along with another IFP Councillor from Estcourt and a hitman. Mayor Mbatha was arrested last week following a swoop by the elite Hawks Unit of the SAPS.

It is alleged that the Speaker was not happy with a tender which the  Mayor is alleged to have manipulated to favour himself and friends. The Courier understands that the tender is related to the long-awaited Forestdale housing development – the delays of which have seen violent protests by residents, fed-up waiting for their new homes.

The original civil work was laid out by Mazcon Construction, who also built the new RPD homes in the new extensions in Sibongile, but it is understood that the intention was to award the lucrative tender to another company.

According to municipal legislation, only the executive committee (exco) members of Council can vote in an acting Mayor. This is because the IFP/DA/EFF alliance in 2016 chose not to elect a Deputy Mayor.

There are only three exco members of the Endumeni Council – Mayor Mbatha (IFP) currently languishing in an Estcourt cell, Dr Sandy Bedassi (DA) and previous Mayor, the ANC’s Thulani Mahaye. According to legislation, when the Mayor is not available – as in this case – the remaining exco members must vote in a Mayor. The Mayor has designated his powers to Dr Bedassi in absentia which means the Doctor will act as Mayor for the time being.

Residents who have contacted the Courier in recent days say the whole of Endumeni is an embarrassment with the arrest of the Mayor on serious charges.

“We should all march on the municipality in silent protest. The Councillor and these officials are selfish and only serve themselves,” said one anonymous caller.

FC Bester of the Endumeni Residents Association said all Councillors should resign. “This is disgusting. The so-called alliance has failed ordinary, hard working residents. They should all resign and we can elect normal human beings in as Councillors.”