eThekweni’s deplorable state of sanitation linked to political sabotage

eThekwini Municipality and its water and sanitation unit have become synonymous with maladministration, corruption, and a collapse in service delivery.

This is according to opposition parties, in response to allegations of corruption made by former eThekwini deputy mayor Philani Mavundla.

Mavundla alleged that the eThekwini’s waste water treatment plants reeked of corruption, claiming that out of the 27 water treatment works operating in the City, only three were adequately licensed.

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The axed deputy issued this statement to prove that his support for the motion of no confidence against the mayor of eThekwini was not malicious nor a “payback strategy”.

The Active Citizens Coalition wrote to eThekwini Municipality speaker Thabani Nyawose, tabling an urgent motion to remove Mxolisi Kaunda as both the mayor and member of the executive committee in the next full sitting of the council.

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Allegations made towards the municipality and it’s head
Mavundla’s letter of support included a series of corruption and fraud allegations towards the municipality and its head.

Much has been kept hidden from the people of eThekwini by the current ANC leadership which, to a great degree, is the reason for the people’s despondency and frustrations as well as general dissatisfaction with the current administration.
The first allegation Mavundla made was on the City’s wastewater treatment works. “The people of eThekwini do not know that of the 27 waste water treatment works, 24 have no license to operate.

Seventeen have been run to total failure, meaning that raw sewer enters from inlets and goes to the outlets without being treated.”

He said this maladministration had been going on for many years and the officials at the municipality’s water and sanitation department were fully aware of this from the annual process audit report.

Actually, this is the first document I asked for when I assumed the office and was given by some high-ranking officials. They cited giving these findings to political leadership every year and nothing was done over the years
“I informed the mayor, Mxolisi Kaunda, of the status of the waste water treatment works as early as January 2022.”

Another allegation he made was that the mayor was fully aware of the ageing infrastructure which, among other things, has led to the closure of Durban’s beaches — first in 2021 and again in 2022.

On the day of the initial floods in April 2022, I was in Johannesburg to meet with President Cyril Ramaphosa at his private residence to inform him about eThekwini’s failing infrastructure.
Mavundla said despite all his attempts, he was never able to get through to Kaunda as “he was hellbent in disregarding and marking” Mavundla.

He said Kaunda would not take anything that came from him other than sending him “damning” WhatsApp messages.

DA member of the eThekwini executive committee Yogis Govender said they have repeatedly been sounding alarm bells to the electorate and all affected people that eThekwini was now at the edge of the cliff, dragged there intentionally by its political leadership.

“The issue of the waste water treatment works has come to the fore a few times and as the DA we have also been working on our investigations with regards to the water use license for some months now.

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At the most recent meeting last year, the head of the water and sanitation unit could not give exact statistics and line-item explanations of exactly which waste water treatment works were without water use licences. We were promised a comprehensive report and master plan, which has to date not materialised.
Govender said “embarrassingly” a plan was tabled at a meeting held at the ICC by Durban Solid Waste in December 2022, but was immediately withdrawn, citing errors in the report.

IPF spokesperson in eThekwini Mdu Nkosi said he was aware of the report by Mavundla, adding that he thought when Mavundla, as deputy mayor, raised the issue of licenses, the process would be sped up.

“I’m surprised to learn that this was still an issue, I don’t know what push or motivation they need to get their act together.”

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Meanwhile, the full council meeting was adjourned yesterday morning as it could not meet quorum because the ANC and EFF were not present.

DA eThekwini
DA eThekwini Caucus leader Thabani Mthethwa said this was a deliberate act by the ANC, EFF and eThekwini manager to collapse the council meeting meant to elect a deputy mayor.

“Of serious concern is the disappearance of the City manager, who similarly did not turn up for the council meeting. It seems that Mbhele is being allowed to be drawn into ANC faction politics through his non-attendance.

The DA finds this move by both parties and the City manager disgraceful. The City manager must face disciplinary action by the eThekwini council for his gross misconduct today. As a result, we will request speaker
“Thabani Nyawose to investigate the ANC and EFF’s conduct in terms of Item 15 of the councillors code of conduct, as well as being referred to the ethics committee,” said Mthethwa.

The meeting will be reconvened within the next seven days. Comment from the eThekwini Municipality was not forthcoming at the time of going to print.