Re – New African National Congress (ANC) Ukhahlamba Regional leadership

It is with utter disgust that I see communities of Umtshezi Municipality who suffered a great deal from the lengthy political violence, being denied service delivery at a time when the focus is Back to Basics, interference and victimisation by the regional leadership.
I refer to the recent strike by staff at the municipality.

Rumours are that there is a number of piercing issues raised. But the root cause is political interference in administration and the act of micro-management by the region. We fought hard for us to be in power in this municipality but now we are denied our democratic right to services due to revenge by the region based on the December 2014 Conference.

Everybody that shared a different political perspective is denied opportunities, both to work in the municipalities around Uthukela and also to apply for tenders with those municipalities. The main grievance when I met my comrades from the municipality, were centered on the bad treatment of traffic officers, which led to the rest of the employees joining hands.

The few underpinning issues resulting to the strike, I am told, is that the ANC regional leadership has its arms and legs in the operations at the municipality with many employees going above reporting to their administrative supervisors and instead reporting to leadership in Mnambithi. The interference is deep and surrounds tenders, positions within the administration, etc.

In light of the above, it would be just to let the community of Estcourt and surrounding areas know that the lack of leadership of power-drunk leaders has been the core dividing factor within the municipality. As a member of the ANC, my view is that the community will remain victims of the political factions and power struggles if the regional leadership does not let go of the administrative functions.

Come next week, as a community member, I am waiting in anticipation for the outcome of the investigations into the matters pertaining to the senior manager. These actions are deadly and might result in the loss of lives. Estcourt is an extremely volatile area, when the population decides to strike, we will be unsure as to who will be pointing fingers at one another, as ANC members.

Very True
Imbabazane Sub-region