The Democratic Alliance (DA) has pledged to turn around Endumeni Municipality’s financial and service-delivery problems, with its KwaZulu-Natal leader, Sithembiso Ngema, telling supporters that the party has the experience to improve struggling municipalities.

Ngema was addressing a rally at Sithembile Stadium in Glencoe on Thursday afternoon as part of the DA’s local government election campaign.

He criticised the IFP’s administration of Endumeni, pointing to the municipality’s financial difficulties, repeated failure to secure an adopted funded budget and deteriorating service delivery.

He was at pains to point out that the DA was ‘never in a coalition with the IFP but rather as service delivery pact’.

“We supported them when decisions were made to improve service delivery. When this no longer became their priority we of course could not support them.”

Ngema also took aim at other political parties, making pointed remarks about their leadership and governance records.

“The IFP has gone down since its esteemed leader passed. The MK Party, which is a branch of the ANC, changes leadership positions as one changes socks. The EFF is effectively the disillusioned ANC Youth League,” he told supporters.

He also criticised the ANC, claiming that even President Cyril Ramaphosa had acknowledged that ANC councillors could learn from DA-governed municipalities when it came to service delivery.

DA points to governance record

Ngema cited the Western Cape, Midvaal and uMngeni Municipality, in the Howick area, as examples of municipalities where the DA has demonstrated its approach to governance.

He argued that better financial management and greater accountability would be central to turning Endumeni around.

Asked how the DA would address the municipality’s problems, Ngema said public money needed to be managed in the interests of residents rather than benefiting a select group of councillors and officials.

He warned supporters about what he described as two kinds of thieves: those who break into homes to steal possessions and those who steal from municipal coffers, thereby depriving residents and future generations of resources.

Ngema also blamed cadre deployment for contributing to governance problems in municipalities administered by the ANC and IFP.

He said the DA would apply its own candidate-selection process when choosing municipal representatives, with an emphasis on competence, experience and qualifications and the interests of communities.

“We want the best people to do the job in the municipalities. Not those seeking to benefit themselves or their parties, but those who are there to benefit the people they serve,” he said.

Coalitions not the priority

Asked about possible coalition arrangements should the November 4 elections result in a hung council, Ngema was reluctant to speculate.

“I prefer not to talk about a penalty shoot-out possibility before the match is played,” he said.

He added that the DA’s immediate objective was to secure enough support to govern Endumeni.

“We aim to govern. That’s our priority and put Endumeni back on its feet,” Ngema said.