Bureaucracy hinders services – councillors
Councillors further stated the internal system was frustrating, as there were many things which could be done 'in a snap of a finger' but because of the system delays were being caused.
Lolo Madonsela
Councillors aired their frustration on the alleged ‘internal bureaucracy’ hindering service delivery in AbaQulusi Local Municipality.
During last Thursday’s Council meeting, Cllr Hlatshwayo said, “The bureaucracy is affecting the turn-around strategy. There are a lot of things when it comes to the use of municipal vehicles. Even just to replace a mere filter or a pole becomes a long process, which delays delivery of services to the community.”
Councillors further stated the internal system was frustrating, as there were many things which could be done ‘in a snap of a finger’ but because of the system delays were being caused.
Acting Mayor, Mncedisi Maphisa said, “It is a disgrace this municipality has no loudhailer. People in areas like eMondlo never get notified when there is going to be water or power cuts, because there are no vehicles available and no loudhailer. If you eventually do get a vehicle, where will you get a loudhailer to alert people? Are we an institution or a spaza shop?”
Speaker of Council, Michael Khumalo agreed with the comments made and quipped: “[The municipality] is so poor that even I am not as poor as this municipality; just look, they can’t even offer you water.”
Other bureaucratic matters were highlighted the DA’s Cllr Alta de Kock, in the petition sent to the municipality.
In it, she stated, “There were outages for three to eight days without an alternative water supply, and managers refused to send the CoGTA [Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs] truck to deliver water to critical points.”Council then ordered acting Municipal Manager, ZP Shongwe to ensure he addressed the matter with urgency.
