Driefontein residents demand ward councillor’s removal over corruption allegations

A group of Driefontein residents have called for their ward councillor’s removal amid allegations of corruption and poor service delivery.

According to a memorandum handed to KwaDukuza speaker Dolly Govender on August 13, a pattern of poor governance has taken hold in the town, which is about 15km inland of Ballito.

The memorandum mirrors a similar set of allegations made against Nkobongo councillor, Ali Ngidi, by residents last month.

Driefontein councillor Nkululeko Sithole, like Ngidi before him, said the allegations were purely political fiction and opposition party policy to sow division before the next municipal election cycle.

Sithole has been accused of giving preferential treatment to his supporters during housing project allocations and in the building of communal standpipes.

Driefontein resident Xolani Cele is one of the people frustrated with the governance in the town.

He claimed his grandfather was unable to get a home (known as a Lindela) in the temporary housing project which was built after the 2022 floods, because he was not a Sithole supporter.

“These Lindelas are not even all being used for housing,” said Cele.

“One is operated as a church, another as a brothel and one is even rented out by the person it was allocated to.”

When visited by the Courier, some Lindelas were found empty and community members confirmed the existence of a brothel.

Sithole said he had no influence on how housing was allocated and that it would be impossible for him to keep track of what was happening inside each Lindela.

“As for the church, I know one Lindela was allocated to a pastor and he does his prayers there,” said Sithole. “I cannot stop him from expressing his religion.”

Cele further alleged mismanagement of water resources in the town and a lack of communication between the councillor and his community.

He claimed only those associated with Sithole and his ward committee were able to enjoy access to municipal infrastructure and benefitted from extended public works programmes.

Sithole rubbished the claims and said the allegations were part of an organised ploy to discredit African National Congress councillors in KwaDukuza.

He said Ngidi had been targeted first and that there were rumblings that Shayamoya councillor Collen Mdletshe would be the next to be accused of corruption.

KwaDukuza Municipality had not responded at the time of publication.

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