It has now reached the point where the Democratic Alliance in Nelson Mandela Bay had to lay criminal charges against the Executive Mayor, Cllr Benson Fihla, and his Deputy, Cllr Chippa Ngcolomba, for political interference in the administration of the municipality. The unstable state of the Metro is highlighted by the fact that we have had six municipal managers and acting municipal mangers over the past four years.
Barely two months into the job, the resignation last Wednesday of City Manager, Dr Lindiwe Msengana-Ndlela, is a direct result of political interference and this is referenced in a letter she has written to Local Government MEC Mlibo Qoboshiyane and in the MEC’s public response. The MEC was quoted “…she has demonstrated that it was because of undue pressures and inappropriate interference in the administration”.
The DA say in a statement it afforded the MEC the opportunity to exercise his legislated responsibility and right to take decisive action by laying criminal charges against the Mayor and his Deputy for their actions in accordance of Section 173 of the Municipal Finance Management Act.
Section 173 of the Municipal Finance Management Act clearly states that a councillor is guilty of an offence if a councillor “deliberately influences or attempts to influence the accounting officer, the chief financial officer, a senior manager or any other official of the municipality to contravene a provision of this Act”. Section 174 further provides for penalties including imprisonment for a period not exceeding five years or an appropriate fine determined in terms of applicable legislation.
The political interference in Nelson Mandela Bay manifests itself in a culture of entitlement and disrespect for the rule of law and democracy. The ANC’s cancerous, closed, crony culture of corruption and cadre deployment is destroying the potential of our administration to deliver services to all the people of our Metro. A DA led Metro will never toleratepolitical interference by public representatives.
Through their actions, and inaction, the ANC has proved that its allegiance is to a politically connected few and not to thepeople of Nelson Mandela Bay or the rule of law.
The DA’s track record of clean governance and service delivery supported by our vision of an open, opportunity society for all is the onlyhope for Nelson Mandela Bay.
