Ms Sithi Silosini, a DA PR councillor deployed in Ward 3, visited the Standerton Advertiser twice last week and gave the alarming news that the Lekwa Municipality is in dire straits.
Ms Silosini declared that the mayor, Mr Linda Dhlamini, and municipal manager, Ms Gugu Mhlongo-Ntshangase, wilfully or negligently violated the provisions of legislation through continued dumping of refuse and waste on an open space of land.
She requested in an affidavit, submitted to a Commissioner of Oaths on 15 January last year, that a criminal investigation be launched against the mayor and municipal manager.
The newspaper published a front page article on 12 April about the dumpsite on the Secunda Road.
A copy of the affidavit is in possession of the Standerton Advertiser about the top brass’ violations of two acts and a bylaw.
The relevant acts are the Municipal Structures Act no 117 of 1998, the National Environmental Management Act no 107 of 1998, as well as the Lekwa Local Municipality Public Open Space Bylaw.
A recap of what transpired is the discovery of medical waste among others and a group of municipal workers clearing the entrance, making sure residents do not dump refuse in front.
Carcasses were also seen with bones resembling those of cattle and the talk among the workers were about people dumping dogs in black bags at the dumpsite.
The workers said the smoke billowing upwards was because of their decision to rather burn paper than having the wind blow it in different directions.
A resident who lives near the road, Ms Carol-Anne Harper, had to foot medical bills for asthma-related problems for her family and referred to dangerous road conditions with mist and smoke early in the morning.
Ms Benita Louw who has a garden services business, travels to the dumpsite twice a day to offload rubbish and the conditions are such that five tyres had to be changed.
“I have to reverse into the area and the same applies to the municipal truck,” Ms Louw said on 25 April.
She emphasised the veracity of the tyres’ damage by saying that a tyre company in town can be contacted for confirmation.
According to Ms Silosini, a tipper truck is needed to move the refuse towards the back of the area and the hiring costs for such machinery amounts to R150 000 per hour.
“A complete rehabilitation of the site will take six months.”
She also said that Lekwa ideally needs 11 refuse trucks when taking into consideration the area involved.
The newspaper had contacted the Gert Sibande District Municipality’s health department about the medical waste on 5 April and an inspector said she could not comment since the newspaper had to contact the municipal manager of the Lekwa Municipality, Ms Gugu Mhlongo-Ntshangase, for the necessary approval.
Three telephone calls were also made and the first to the municipality’s landline, was not answered.
Ms Thobeka Mtshiselwa, communications manager, was also contacted on 11 April about the predicament of getting comment from a health official and she referred us to the municipal managers’s secretary, Ms Dibuile Moloi.
As the municipal manager was not available, Ms Moloi said the inspectors should apply for permission by writing a formal letter to the municipality or alternatively by organising a meeting with Ms Mhlongo-Ntshangase.
The DA councillor also said the draft budget agenda, under review at a recent council meeting, indicated further alarming news.
“Lekwa Municipality is facing liquidation,” the agenda, according to Ms Silosini, made clear.
The Standerton Advertiser will scrutinise the agenda for a better picture on the municipality’s financial situation.
A question to Ms Mtshiselwa in our offices on 26 April about any possible liquidation, was answered with a personal rebuttal.
“I don’t know anything about it,” she said.
Also read:
https://standertonadvertiser.co.za/91793/standertondumpsite-beaten-not-yet-defeated-red-tape/
