ANC struggle veterans and members of the ANC Women’s League gathered in Dundee last week to honour the legacy of Nelson Mandela and reflect on the sacrifices made during South Africa’s liberation struggle.

The joint engagement also served as a platform for raising urgent concerns around governance, service delivery and constitutional rights.

Addressing the gathering, local struggle veteran Mzwakhe Sithebe said:
“The exorbitant billing by Umzinyathi, along with misleading estimates, continues to frustrate residents. There is a serious lack of public participation within both Umzinyathi and Endumeni municipalities. This is unacceptable.”

Sithebe expressed full support for the community’s pending legal action against the municipality for its failure to provide water.
“An increasing number of areas in Endumeni are experiencing dry taps. This is a clear violation of Sections 24 and 27 of the Constitution. The constitutional mandate is not being honoured.”

He added that the “renewed ANC is not inward-looking but responsive to people’s needs”, stressing that members are committed to building a party that remains a servant of the people.

Other key concerns raised during the meeting included:

• The slow progress on land restitution, which members said must be prioritised to build a responsive state;

• Allegations of nepotism in municipal appointments, with preference reportedly given to relatives of officials;

• Councillors failing to hold regular constituency meetings;

• The absence of genuine public participation in local government despite it being a cornerstone of democracy outlined in the Freedom Charter and Section 152 of the Constitution.

Sithebe concluded:
“The call that ‘the people shall govern’ must be more than just words. Our municipalities must reflect the will and needs of our communities.”

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