UGU District Municipality’s council meeting last Thursday came to a standstill when councillors wanted to know when they would be getting their 2013/2014 increments.
Even though the item wasn’t on the agenda they requested that it be added. “We are almost done with this financial year, and we still have not received our increase,” said Cllr Busi Machi.
It was revealed that councillors from other municipalities had received their increases.
Ugu’s municipal manager, DD Naidoo, said that he had sent a letter to the MEC of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), Nomusa-Dube Ncube, requesting that Ugu councillors get their increment.
He added that because of the elections, the MEC hadn’t yet responded.
“We are tired of waiting, we are the only municipality waiting,” said one of the councillors.
Ugu deputy mayor, Cllr Mondli Chiliza, said that Ugu councillors were not the only ones who hadn’t received an increment.
“All the councillors from all the municipalities which received a disclaimer audit haven’t received increments,” said Cllr Chiliza.
It was also revealed that Cogta had requested that all municipalities which received a disclaimer should make an appeal for increases.
Some thought that it was unfair that Ugu staff still received their increment, yet the councillors didn’t.
At a press briefing held on Monday Mr Naidoo said that all councillors from all municipalities were supposed to receive a five percent increase and Ugu councillors were worried that they hadn’t received theirs and the financial year was finishing at the end of June.
He said that the municipality was still liaising with Cogta to resolve the issue.
