Waste MMC under fire

The DA has named the Department of Environmental Resources and Waste Management within the City of Ekurhuleni as one of the worst affected departments whose “poor” management has resulted in massive declines in service levels across the metro.

However, the metro in its response refuted these claims, saying management in this department has turned the it around. “The gross mismanagement of the department, under ANC MMC alderman Khosi Mabaso, compelled the DA to submit an urgent motion of no confidence in the MMC.

It was debated in the virtual ordinary council meeting on January 28,” said André du Plessis, DA Deputy Shadow MMC for Environmental Resource and Waste Management in Ekurhuleni. The motion, however, didn’t pass, and the DA said it was intended to compel mayor Mzwandile Masina to dismiss the MMC from her position and to restore a degree of capable management to the department.

Du Plessis said the MMC’s shortcomings included failure to award grass-cutting tenders for the 2019/20 financial year, leading to a backlog in grass-cutting in public spaces; closure and non-operational of landfill sites due to new tenders not being awarded; insufficient implementation of departmental plans to control alien invader species; and insufficient planning and inadequate engagement with councillors, which has led to the failure of the bulk walk-in containers project.

“Administratively, Mabaso has also demonstrated massive shortcomings, specifically in how she failed to hold HOD for the department Faith Wotshela to account, who the Council previously sought to place on a performance management plan.

“Financially, the department has insufficient funds available to pay waste collection contractors, whose services have since been suspended, which is indicative of the poor management of the department under the MMC.

“Despite these major leadership failures, the ANC continues to award cadres, as opposed to putting the needs of residents first by appointing capable people into critical leadership positions.

“The ANC-led coalition in Ekurhuleni blames the Covid-19 pandemic for these failures; however, the decline in service delivery standards across the metro has been a trend for years, under the administration.

“The motion of no confidence highlights that the ANC puts its cadres and their coalition partners ahead of South Africans, who are crying for services. The DA will continue to put pressure on all officials to ensure that residents receive the level of service they deserve,” said du Plessis.

Office of the MMC Khosi Mabaso responded:

The metro said it is not a fact that the grass-cutting tender was not awarded for this financial year.

“The tender process is regulated by the City’s Supply Chain Regulations, which are within the Finance Department’s area of management. The Department adhered to these strict supply chain processes and regulations when processing the tender,” explained metro spokesperson Zweli Dlamini.

Dlamini pointed out that the City is implementing the approved alien invasive management programme to control hyacinth challenges and there is confident that the challenges faced will be eliminated.

“Additional capacity has in the current financial year been made available through the purchase of the new amphibious excavator to intensify the control of aquatic alien invasive vegetation. Partnerships with GDARD and the communities have been forged to strengthen the department’s commitment to eradicating aquatic invasive species.”

Responding to allegations made against the MMC that she failed to hold HOD for the Department, Faith Wotshela, to account, the metro said the MMC has turned the department around since she was deployed.

“She has been committed to ensuring that waste collection is on schedule and supports the department when faced with challenges in this regard until they are resolved.  The focus will be placed more on the Kempton Park area in this second half of the financial year where users are not using the free garden waste facilities for just garden waste and are not placing waste in bags. This is a serious operational and revenue leakage challenge which will be given attention.”

The metro added that the department in question has further demonstrated the eagerness to keep the city clean at all times by introducing the Keep Ekurhuleni Clean Programme and CBD’s Night Shift programme.
“These are some of the few interventions introduced by the leadership of Mabaso and focused management of Wotshela.
“The fact of the matter is that the department is bringing innovation even under difficult circumstances. Du Plessis does serve in the Oversight Committee that must ensure that he contributes to holding Mabaso to account.

“The department has been an achiever of mandatory targets as per audited reports.

“Clearly, the department is performing, however, we will not rule out politicking and political points scoring for the individuals who want to see themselves in the top list of their political party since it is the local government election year.

Reacting to du Plessis claim that the department has insufficient funds available to pay waste collection contractors, the metro said the department continues to meet its obligations despite the increasing demand for waste management services.
Du Plessis accused the ruling party of putting its cadres and their coalition partners ahead of South Africans, but that was refuted by the metro.

“The statement seeks to claim that the DA is the real representatives of the South Africans, the facts point to the opposite. We all know that the DA is referring to its white constituency that has no belief in black capacity let alone black women.
“The main reason for the DA to accuse ANC, which represent and being loved by South Africans of all races doesn’t sit well with them since according to them the South Africans are their white constituencies not black in the townships living in abject poverty engineered and orchestrated by their forefathers.

“Today, the sins of the ruling party are to ensure that services reach equally all citizens irrespective of race, class or gender, this has raffled DA’s feathers and bring frivolous claims fuelled by deep-rooted racism and gender discrimination hence their attack is on the persona of Mabaso and Wotshela.”

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