HIGHVELD – Mr Benzi Soko, Govan Mbeki Municipality’s Chief of Staff, dismissed the allegations that the municipality is on the verge of collapse.
In a press statement issued on Tuesday, 13 November, he said the allegations that GMM has collapsed, should not be left unchallenged because they are fraught with “glaring factual inaccuracies of the highest degree.”
Mr Soko said the municipality has recently acquired more than 20 vehicles to enhance the provision of quality service delivery to the people.
He said the municipality has recently handed over a mobile clinic and Sakhisizwe Bridge to the people of the Charl Cilliers Multi-Purpose Centre.
“These facilities alone have brought about real hope and dignity to the residents of Charl Cilliers who expressed their appreciation and happiness to the GMM political and administrative leadership during the handover ceremony.
“GMM was last week declared the winner of the greenest municipality, walking away with prize money of R20 000.
“GMM has, for a long period, been operating on auto pilot due to the non-appointment of the municipal manager which affected the efficient and effective management of the institution.”
Also read:
https://www.citizen.co.za/ridge-times/128620/gmm-residents-face-electricity-cuts-due-non-payments/
He said it is through the stewardship of Ms Thandi Ngxonono that the new municipal manager, Mr Felani Mndebele, and two other directors were recently appointed.
“These appointments, especially Mr Mndebele’s, have contributed to the stabilisation of the municipality, a positive development that cannot be ignored.
“The new municipal manager has hit the ground running since his appointment by emphasising the need for the intensification of service delivery and aggressive revenue enhancement measures.
“He has called upon all and sundry in his management circles, that they should roll up their sleeves and put hands on deck,” said Mr Soko.
“It should be mentioned that there is a new hope and confidence since the appointment of Mr Mndebele among all GMM employees.
“We therefore appeal to the public that he should be given a chance to lead this municipality and most importantly, given all the necessary support that he needs.
“We want to reiterate the fact that GMM has not collapsed as purported by doomsayers, but GMM is still alive and providing services to the public albeit with challenges that must be decisively defeated going forward.”
Over 60 Facebook users commented on the municipal Facebook post on Tuesday, 13 November.
They criticised the municipality of failing to provide services and for allegedly taking glory for what Sasol has done.
Also read:
https://www.citizen.co.za/ridge-times/128378/municipalitys-financial-taps-dry/
Ngoveni Sibusiso commented on Facebook:
“There are no doomsayers – it is us, the public! The people you supposedly “deliver” services to who say the municipality is completely dysfunctional and has collapsed. You must face us when you speak about us and tell us 9-9 (straight) as we are telling you.
“You are a dysfunctional municipality.”
Theo Gräbe said:
“Disgruntled, disillusioned voters burn your building and trucks, and then insurance replaces them, and then you claim greatness because you have given us new vehicles.”
Other residents posted pictures of uncollected waste and potholes, criticising the municipality for poor service delivery.
Mr Humphrey Dube, EFF councillor, said the fact that the municipality is denying it is on the verge of collapse, is a reflection of ignorance and arrogance.
“The statement released by Mr Soko is an insult to the people of this municipality.
“It is an undisputable fact that the municipality is going down the drain.
“The Eskom and Rand Water debt is now more than a billion rand. “How are we going to recover from that? The executive does not have solutions.”
Also read:
https://www.citizen.co.za/ridge-times/128287/locals-residents-not-happy-govan-mbeki-municipality/
