ANC in control at Durban’s City Hall, says Gumede

The mayor of eThekwini, Zandile Gumede. Picture: Sibonelo Ngcobo

The mayor of eThekwini, Zandile Gumede. Picture: Sibonelo Ngcobo

Published Sep 26, 2016

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Durban - eThekwini mayor, Zandile Gumede, will not be doing things her own way.

Speaking on Lotus FM on Sunday, Durban’s first post-94 female mayor told listeners the ANC would call the shots at City Hall in the next five years.

“The ruling party that is leading in eThekwini has clearly defined policies that are in place. They are good and they really assist our communities,” Gumede said when a Lotus FM listener asked her about the difference she hoped to leave.

She was invited on the show at lunchtime, but arrived nearly 15 minutes late due to delays at a church engagement.

While her response was an indication she would get guidance from the ANC, Gumede said she would crack the whip on officials. She said she had already met the top city officials to communicate what she expected from them.

“They know, not all of them, that some have been doing wrong things, so I wanted to tell them that the things they do for the city, they do on behalf of the same ruling party.

“At end of the day some people take advantage of it,” Gumede said.

She said she expected the city officials prepared to work with her to work harder, and make sure they honoured residents of eThekwini.

“Whatever issues they have, they must fix them much quicker, because at the end they come to the political leadership.”

In her endeavour to ensure there was accountability in the city, Gumede said officials would be taken to refresher courses on matters like Batho Pele (people first) principles.

“We are nothing without our people,” she said.

She painted herself as a woman who wanted the ball to roll. “I fear no one, as long as I know the things I’m saying is within law and policy.”

Gumede also said she wanted to ensure there were mechanisms in place if things were to happen.

“You can’t crack the whip where there are no structures. Monitoring mechanisms are in place. All I do is to make sure they are working,” she said.

She defended the ANC-led municipality’s decision to relegate the council’s finance and procurement portfolio committee into a sub-committee of Exco, saying it was where it belonged.

“The collective executive, including political parties, must be seen scrutinising the budget and know every month what is happening in the city.”

Asked by a listener what the city planned on doing for the “forgotten” Clairwood, Gumede said it was one of areas they were keeping an eye on.

“In my next interview I will come back, because I’m a kind of person that wants to talk about things that are tangible. I don’t want to lie,” she said, adding that in her first 30 days she was interacting with officials and setting things in order.

However, she said she knew there were plans in place for the area. “I know the area has a problem with trucks on the road, the area is not clean in manner it should be.”

Responding to a question about derelict buildings on the beachfront, Gumede said she had instructed officials to prepare a report on ownership of the affected buildings.

“I’m cautious of taking decisions alone, but I must be informed about what I’m doing,” she added.

Gumede also promised to come back with a factually-informed response when asked what the city was doing regarding the informal dwellers in Tongaat, who protested for housing development after failed promises to relocate them to Cornubia and Waterloo.

The mayor took kindly to advice from listeners to look into the huge bill on city security and irregular expenditure.

Daily News

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