South African Municipal Workers’ Union – SAMWU in KwaZulu-Natal is in disgust by cheap political grandstanding of one clown that was tasked with the responsibility of oversight in all municipalities of the province. This reverend had one simple task, that of making a meaningful intervention in the municipality of Impendle. He has deliberately failed thus far. 

The clown went public to give an ultimatum to Impendle Local Municipality, the very same municipality that is currently under his administration. Now the obvious question would be, who was he giving this ultimatum to? The nincompoop went further to blatantly lie to the public and declared that Impendle Local Municipality workers’ have been paid all their outstanding salaries. He boasted that, welfare of municipal employees is fundamental to institutional stability and effective service delivery. The said municipality has not been stable and rendering service delivery effectively, since disruption of salaries and statutory payments of workers’. 

As SAMWU in KZN we find this grandstanding and lies to be an insult to Impendle workers’, as well as their families that have been subjected to poverty by useless provincial intervention, that came with an administration that do not pay salaries. 

To this day KZN COGTA has not responded to workers’ memorandum of demands. COGTA is not present at Impendle. COGTA has not done even a single task that was bestowed to them by KZN Provincial Executive Council. 

They were tasked to; intervene at Impendle Local Municipality in terms of Section 139(1)(b) of the Constitution, 1996, and approved that the MEC for COGTA appoints a representative or representatives to be based at the municipality who will prepare and implement the recovery plan, incorporating the Terms of Reference listed below on behalf of the Provincial Executive Council. Ensuring the implementation of financial systems, policies and procedures including preparation and implementation of cost cutting measures.

Establishment and acting as Chairperson of the Interim Finance Committee (IFC) to monitor and manage the cash flow of the municipality, approve or disapprove purchase requisitions and to ensure that the municipality’s cash position is not overdrawn. 

To be a compulsory signatory on the municipality’s primary bank account and any other bank accounts that the municipality may operate. 

Ensure the implementation of remedial action plans responding to negative findings from the auditor general of South Africa. 

Implement governance systems and procedures including oversight over the administration, including ratification of the decisions of the municipal manager and Section 56 managers in terms of delegated or original authority. 

Ensure constant monitoring of conditional grants and implementation of all projects undertaken by the municipality. 

Ensure the finalization of UIFW expenditure reports and any consequence management emanating from the outcome of the reports tabled with council. Institute disciplinary processes contemplated in the disciplinary regulations for senior managers, 2010, and other disciplinary functions in respect of Municipal Staff Regulations contemplated in Section 67 of the Municipal Systems Act, no 32 of 2000, as amended. 

Ensure implementation of findings arising from any investigations into fraud or maladministration or corruption and to initiate new investigations where necessary. Enter, on behalf of the municipality, payment plans and other arrangements with creditors of municipality. 3 They have failed in all these responsibilities, simply because their intervention had no intention of remedial actions. 

They intended to make matters worse for agendas that are only known to them. Today in the presence of reverend Buthelezi representative, the municipality is poorer and workers’ are more impoverished. 

SAMWU shall continue with the strike at Impendle Local Municipality. We demand immediate payment of all outstanding salaries, and 3rd party payments. We further demand reinstatement of all contracts workers that have been unfairly dismissed by COGTA. 

END. 

Issued by: SAMWU KZN 

For inquiries 

Nokubonga Dinga, Provincial Secretary (065 871 8434) 

or 

Zethu Fakude, Provincial Deputy Secretary (063 509 2924)