‘Labour forum blocks Umdoni offices’

Umdoni Municipality has been unclear about the reasons why its municipal offices were recently barricaded with mountains of sand which led to interruption of services.
According to sources, local businesses and labour forum were crying foul that people from outside the municipality are scoring tenders from the municipality.
KwaZulu-Natal Democratic Alliance leader, Francois Rodgers, who was speaking in Umdoni recently said they received information that there was a roads contract to the tune of R48 million and the local labour forum was not happy because they were not involved in the awarding of the contract and to be part of those who will be employed.
Rodgers said the mafia-style-tactics used to shutdown Umdoni is exactly what they have seen throughout the province.
“No matter where you live in KwaZulu-Natal everything is falling apart in municipalities and local government, it is no longer an important issue for the ANC. They have taken everything for granted. Cadre deployment is collapsing their municipalities and services are failing the people of our province,” he said.
Meanwhile, Umdoni municipality released a media statement last week saying that it held a media briefing where the mayor, Sibongile Khathi, gave responses to various issues believed to be the reasons behind the illegal barricading of municipal offices.
In the statement, the municipality said clarity was given on issues of electricity, rehabilitation of rural and urban roads, water and sanitation services amongst other issues.
“The mayor further expanded on the above mentioned issues, electricity: Various efforts have been made by the municipality to address the issue of electricity in the Kelso area in Ward 10. After numerous intervention efforts, Eskom held a number of meetings with this community where its electrification projects were outlined. The Kelso community was duly informed that Eskom’s electrification project will commence during their current financial year. Rural and urban road rehabilitation: A substantial budget was allocated for the rehabilitation of urban roads and work to fulfil this mandate is currently underway. Numerous roads are being resurfaced while others are undergoing extensive pothole patching. Water and sanitation: Ugu District Municipality is the water services authority and Umdoni remains in constant contact with the district to deal with issues of surrounding water services,” read the statement, adding that the mayor reiterated the municipality’s apology to Umdoni residents and business community for the inconvenience they endured in the past weeks.