Marchers from Bhekuzulu converged on AbaQulusi Local Municipality on Friday, calling for Mayor Mcendisi Maphisa to step down. Singing and dancing, the protesters also held aloft placards bearing the slogan ’phansi ngemeya entshontshayo’ (corrupt mayor must step down), among others. Municipal Manager Zwelihle Dhlamini, Director of Co-operate Services Sbonga Dlamini and other municipal officials were present, as was Deputy Mayor Mazibuko.
There were also IFP members clad in party T-shirts, who claimed they were against the march and were there to support and protect the mayor. The conveners read out a memorandum detailing their grievances. The community says they require the municipal manager to produce his matric certificate within five working days, as there has been speculation regarding his qualifications. There are also questions about the qualifications of other municipal employees whose records, they say, must be checked by a skills audit.
The memorandum also demands that Mayhor Maphisa explain how he spent close to R1 million on petrol in a month. Remarks by Speaker Khumalo at the funeral of Councillor Mbatha were quoted as well. He allegedly said that ‘the municipality will employ one of the members in the Mbatha household and if there is no space, I will tell the MM to fire one of the people who are already working at the municipality’. The marchers said that the speaker’s job at the municipality is to control meetings, not employ people. The MM was asked to take a voluntary suspension until the allegations of ‘fake qualifications’ have been investigated. The marchers also want MEC for Co-operative Governance & Traditional Affairs Sihle Zikalala to conduct a full investigation into AbaQulusi Municipality.
Municipal Manager Mr Dlamini signed the memorandum and said, “As we all know, there are procedures that need to be followed. I will take this information to the relevant departments and respond back to the conveners of the march within 14 working days. However, I did my matric in 1982 when I was only 15 years old – I am a public figure and the public has the right to know everything.”
After the marchers dispersed, the gathered IFP supporters were addressed by the mayor and deputy mayor. There were questions via a ‘voice clip’ on social media concerning Deputy Mayor Mandla Mazibuko allegedly calling community members ‘izimfene’ (baboons) and applauding the IFP members for coming to the march. The other political parties condemned the use of vulgar language and called for an investigation into his conduct.
Turning to the question of his use of petrol, Mayor Maphisa told the IFP members that, “There are some things that we cannot address, but if you have common sense, you will know that filling the tank of a Fortuner vehicle costs R1900, which must be multiplied by 31 days (a month.) The R900,000 that the community is talking about concerns the hiring of six (vehicles) used by employees in the Technical Services Department.
Two Fortuners were also hired last year, which are used by the mayor and deputy mayor. These two cars arrived last November and were never paid for up until last month, when the municipality paid up for the vans and two Fortuners. So the figure is for all the months (of hiring) and not just for petrol, as alleged. The community members were misled by someone for whatsoever reason, without giving out the facts.
’’Some of the residents took to social media to indicate how unhappy they were that the mayor and deputy mayor addressed their people (IFP) instead of those who were at the march.
ALSO READ:VRYHEID: Municipality yet to respond to grievances following Bhekuzulu march
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