Durban - THE long-standing battle related to the outstanding payment of izindunas’ salaries has led to the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) to call for President Cyril Ramaphosa to intervene.
The department has asked for a meeting with Ramaphosa, through the office of the Premier, to resolve the R1.7 billion payment due to more than 3 000 izindunas across the province.
The amount accumulated after CoGTA delayed paying the salaries of izinduna following former president Jacob Zuma’s proclamation.
CoGTA’s head of department, Tando Tubane, said it was working on finding an amicable solution.
“The MEC, Sipho Hlomuka, has sought an audience with Premier Sihle Zikalala and has sought an audience with President Cyril Ramaphosa, and the Minister of Finance. He has already received an audience with the minister of CoGTA, Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma.
“There is some back-room footwork that is happening and we plead with the committee to allow it to continue and once the discussion is completed we will come back and inform the committee,” he said.
Chairperson of the committee, Sipho Nkosi, said it was good that a solution was being sought as the problem was not created by the KwaZulu-Natal government but by the national government.
The department also informed members of the committee that it had received a clean audit.
The Mercury