DURBAN - THE uMhlathuze Municipality has said that all municipal assets that were in possession of political officer bearers have been returned.
The City of uMhlathuze is one of the municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal that will be run as a coalition government following the declaration of results for the local government elections by the Electoral Commission of South Africa.
Yesterday, the City of uMhlathuze confirmed that all municipality assets had been returned to the city.
City of uMhlathuze spokesperson Mdu Ncalane said the city had complied with local government legislation.
“It is a principle that laptops, cars and other municipal assets are given to you for use for a certain period of time. Once that period is finished, all the assets must be returned. We have ensured that all municipal assets have been returned.”
Ncalane added that the assets were not returned due to pressure from any party.
DA councillor-elect Christo Botha in ward 2 in uMhlathuze said he had called the municipal manager on Friday morning. “I called the municipal manager to ascertain whether the vehicles in the mayoral fleet had been returned to the municipality the previous day. The municipal manager confirmed that the vehicles had in fact not been returned.”
Botha added that he asked the municipal manager to collect the vehicles as they were municipal assets.
He said all councillors from the previous council had to return all items in their possession.
“The former mayor, deputy mayor and speaker were no longer entitled to use municipal assets. As a councillor-elect, I had a duty to ensure that assets bought with taxpayers’ money are fully accounted for.”
Botha added he had also asked the municipal manager to take possession of the keys to the half-completed mayoral residence.
THE MERCURY