Pretoria - The ANC/EFF coalition in the Ekurhuleni Metro is under threat following Julius Malema’s tweet that the majority party in the council was allegedly responsible for the theft of waste collection trucks while still in power.
Malema posted the damning tweet on his Twitter account which has millions of followers, alleging that “on its database, the City of Ekurhuleni has 103 waste collection trucks.
Since the EFF occupied the office of the MMC for Waste Management, we can only confirm the existence of 32 trucks, meaning these thieves, before us, have stolen 71 trucks of the city.
“We call on the people of Ekurhuleni to alert the EFF and SAPS wherever you see a waste collection truck, the possibility is that it is stolen!”
The tweet sparked an outcry from the Ekurhuleni ANC leadership, who, immediately after it went viral, called a media conference to clarify their stance on the waste trucks.
The ANC was also angered by the fact that EFF caucus leader and MMC Finance Nkululeko Dunga admitted to having had a meeting with service providers on Tuesday, an act the ANC described as interference in the work of administrators.
Reacting, ANC Ekurhuleni caucus leader Jongizizwe Dlabathi said “sensationalism and inaccuracies” were detrimental to the image of the city and its administration.
Dlabathi said his party was puzzled by some of the statements made about the Waste Department, especially the “false narrative” that some trucks had been stolen.
Clarifying the alleged inaccuracies, Dlabathi said: “As of May 5, 2023, the administration confirmed that 28 trucks were operational, and two were being commissioned for fitment. Because of their intense use, 28 trucks are undergoing repairs, 10 of which should be back by now, as per a report received from the administration.
“The administration has confirmed that there is no record of any compactor that was stolen.
“For that matter, the city has confirmed this with one of its media outlets upon their enquiry.
“It was extremely irresponsible and misleading that 71 trucks were stolen.
“In his response to the query by the Auditor-General of South Africa, the Group CFO has confirmed that the trucks were not stolen, and we can share the formal response,” Dlabathi said.
He said his party believes in collective leadership and the respect for leadership hierarchy.
“We are clear that the face of the City is the Executive Mayor (Sivuyile Ngondwana), who must be supported by Members of the Mayoral Committee. MMC must not enter into competition with the Mayor,” ANC warned.
Dlabathi said given their recent observation on how the collaborative governance was unfolding at the level of the Mayoral Committee, his party called on the mayor to take charge of the executive work, including the conduct of Members of the Mayoral Committee, saying, “the sooner, the better, otherwise the Mayor Committee will be a loose cannon.”
“We, therefore, want to give the mayor the benefit of the doubt, for the failure to ensure that the centre is holding or his failure will plunge us into a leadership crisis.
Dlabathi said Ngondwana must take charge, steer and direct municipal programmes.
Pretoria News