KZN municipality 'in serious chaos'

Published Oct 29, 2009

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The Umhlabuyalingana municipal manager and chief financial officer have been suspended following allegations of corruption and gross mismanagement.

"Eric Manqele, the municipal manager and the chief financial officer, Mthandeni Zungu were suspended during a special council meeting last night ," African National Congress councillor Solomon Mkhombo said on Thursday.

According to a statement released by the department of local government in KwaZulu-Natal, the Umhlabuyalingana Municipality - in the Kosi Bay area - is one of the poor performing municipalities in the province.

"The situation in Umhlabuyalingana seems dire. The department has just finalised a forensic report in respect of this municipality. The MEC is considering the report," said the department's spokesman Vernon Mchunu.

He said a lot had been done to assist the municipality in terms of financial support and otherwise, but to no avail.

Mkhombo said Manqele and Zungu were suspended pending the investigation into allegations of gross financial mismanagement and corruption.

"The municipality is in serious chaos. Councillors and officials were not paid because there was no money."

Manqele and mayor Alison Ncube were recently forced by the provincial government to cancel a trip to Switzerland to attract investors.

Opposition parties called for the trip to be cancelled, saying it would fail to attract investment.

Mchunu said his department was also concerned about the situation in Okhahlamba and Mbonambi municipalities.

"The MEC is promising the nation that swift action is going to be taken by the department to remedy the situation of the ailing municipalities in the province to ensure there is no disruption of service delivery for our people," said Mchunu.

He said the department had found that the Mbonambi Municipality lacked financial capacity.

"The Department provided the municipality with an accountant. The Municipality has asked for 6 months in which to turn the bad situation around," said Mchunu. The department was monitoring the municipality closely and would make a decision in three months time, he said.

In Okhahlamba Municipality, the department had instituted a forensic probe following allegations of maladministration, fraud and corruption.

"The department is struggling to get information as there is poor record keeping in this municipality. The department has assisted the municipality with a recovery plan, secured a financial expert." - Sapa

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