DURBAN - Newly sworn in uMhlathuze Municipality mayor Xolani Ngwezi said no city official would celebrate the festive season or holiday when communities have no power, lights and water.
Ngwezi was sworn in on Friday after the previous mayor, Dr Nkonzoyakhe Donda, resigned from the position last week.
Donda resigned from the executive committee with effect from December 10.
Ngwezi was sworn in as councillor before being elected as an executive committee member, which made him eligible to be elected as mayor.
Ngwezi has also served as a Member of Parliament and the National Council of Provinces.
In a statement, the uMhlathuze Municipality said Ngwezi was elected to the mayoral position unopposed after Donda stepped down after assuming the position on November 23, 2021, after the local government elections.
When Ngwezi delivered his maiden mayoral speech, he said no city official would go on Christmas holidays when communities have no power, lights and water on their taps.
Ngwezi said: “People in the City of uMhlathuze has been complaining about service delivery with water provision, power, grass cutting and potholes topping the list. Potholes must be patched in the next 120 days of my leadership. Traffic lights must be fixed.
“My question is: why does it take more than four months to fix the traffic lights? I do not expect the answer now, but it has to be done. Gravel roads should have tar in the next three years because traditional communities are not punished for no reason. There is no official who will go on Christmas holidays when we have service delivery defects.”
Ngwezi said he would be asking for water reticulation plans, especially for wards 31, 32 and 33.
He also addressed the matter of skills audit in the city.
“The truth is that we have no drought now, dams are full, but people have no water. We have to do the skills audit and determine whether officials in the positions are qualified to occupy such positions. Those officials who will want to use politics at the expense of service delivery will have to quit work and go to politics full time so that we engage them at such platforms,” Ngwezi said.
He also thanked the previous mayors from Moffatt, Mnqayi, Mbatha, Mhlongo and Donda, for their contributions to the community and laying the foundation for him.
Daily News