The DA is taking the Enoch Mgijima municipality to court after the council resolved to illegally extend the contract of the municipal manager, Nokuthula Zondani.
During a council meeting on 18 October 2022 the council resolved to terminate the controversial Zondani’s contract before it was set to come to an end on 30 October 2022.
Yesterday council did an about turn and in contravention of the Municipal Systems Act, decided to extend her contract by another three months.
During Zondani’s tenure Enoch Mgijima has fallen into financial ruin and the municipality owes Eskom R900 million.
Basic services have all collapsed. Electricity infrastructure is dilapidated, municipal vehicles have been auctioned off to pay creditors, tender processes to secure service providers are riddled with irregularities and regular billing for municipal rates no longer exists.
In April 2021 this total failure came to a head when the provincial government placed the municipality under administration.
However, Zondani was constantly at loggerheads with the appointed administrator and was even part of a court action to force government to remove the administrator. A National Cabinet Representative is currently in Enoch Mgijima in an effort to turn the administration around.
We will now approach the Makhanda High Court on an urgent basis to request a review of the municipal manager’s contract extension and have it set aside.
The DA has been at the forefront of exposing the rampant corruption and mismanagement in the Enoch Mgijima municipality, and will not rest until it is rooted out.
The DA will continue to fight for the rights of the residents of Enoch Mgijima. The municipality has failed them and they deserve better.