Madam –
Your editorial where you sought readers’ opinions about putting Newcastle under administration is most apposite.
This, given the exposès in your paper over the last few weeks and the very real state of our town.
Even if there is a dispute about the merits of what you’ve published, the issues of late are both acute and bleak.
On June 26, 2019, I wrote to the MEC for CoGTA, Mr S Hlomuka, asking him to do just what you were asking about.
To be specific, I asked him to invoke section 139(2)(b) of our constitution which allows for an administrator to be put in charge of running the affairs of our town.
It didn’t come as a surprise when, on the same day that I wrote the letter, I saw the MEC frolicking with our mayor on social media.
The town is in a mess because the governing party in KZN, and not limited to our region, is in a mess.
Everything from political killings to looting of the coffers is rampant.
One just has to look at the Zondo Commission to understand how bad it all is and how entrenched the ANC’s system of patronage is, to gather that unless we do not get rid of the ANC from government, our town and province will only get worse.
All the ‘New Dawn’ nonsense was election talk. Now, the morning after, the headache seems like it is even worse than before.
Our mayor’s position remains precarious. There is no deputy mayor and we do not have a speaker in our council.
The town is running on fumes and on autopilot – not because we have a new airport – but because of the paucity in political leadership.
If the MEC does not act swiftly, he will be just as complicit as the ANC in our area in putting party squabbles and issues before the people of Newcastle. This is intolerable.
There is a need for decisive and immediate intervention in our town. MEC Hlomuka must not sit on his hands or hang around with his friends instead.
He needs to put the people of Newcastle first. There is no question about it: Newcastle must be put under administration.
Dr Imran Keeka, MPL – DA KZN Spokesperson on Education
Response from Dr Dumisani Thabethe, Head of Communications for Newcastle Municipality:
CoGTA is the department relevant to place any council under administration.
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