Philani “PG” Mavundla, the newly installed mayor of Umvoti (Greytown) local municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, has expressed his desire for his municipality to be independent from the IFP-led Umzinyathi district municipality.
He alleges that the district, under Mayor Petros Ngubane of the IFP, has failed to provide adequate water and sanitation to local municipalities.
In a letter to the KwaZulu-Natal MEC for cooperative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta), Bongi Sithole-Moloi, Mavundla writes, “Section 84 of the Municipal Structures Act 117 of 1998 provides for the division of functions and powers between district and local municipalities.
In Umvoti Municipality’s case, provision of basic services such as water and sanitation have been assigned to Umzinyathi District Municipality.
NEWS: The Umvoti (Greytown) local municipality has written to KZN CoGTA asking to be allowed to provide its own water and take care of its sanitation affairs, saying the IFP-led Umzinyathi district municipality is failing to deliver in this regard. The municipality’s Mayor,
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) July 18, 2023
However, the community has been suffering from the lack of provision of the above service from the district.”
Mavundla, who recently assumed power with the aid of the ANC and his ABC (Abantu Batho Congress), also highlighted the costly implications of the district municipality’s alleged negligence.
He explained that due to the lack of service, Umvoti Municipality incurs significant costs for the transportation and disposal of waste to Msunduzi (Pietermaritzburg) local municipality.
Furthermore, Mavundla points out that a regional landfill site built by the Department of Environment, Fisheries and Forestry within Umvoti is not operational due to the disinterest of the license holder, the Umzinyathi District Municipality.
The council, after the IFP was ousted as the governing party of Umvoti, convened and voted for the water and sanitation services to be undertaken at the local level.
However, the Umzinyathi district municipality has yet to respond to the allegations levelled against it by Mavundla.
IOL Politics