It appears that the monthly council meeting of the City of Ekurhuleni on the 17th was quite eventful. The meeting was convened following a motion under rule 90 of the Council Standing Orders by Law, with the primary topic of discussion being the city’s financial situation. Cllr Fanyans Nkosi put forward a motion to interrogate the city’s present financial state, which allegedly includes outstanding payments of up to 2 million.
Cllr Dunga, on the other hand, disputed these claims, asserting that the city is in good financial standing and that 99% of the allocated funds have been utilized as intended. However, it seems that other political parties held differing views on these assertions. Cllr Mayise of the ANC acknowledged the dire financial situation and expressed concerns about water outages and the failure to pay contractors, which could potentially result in waterborne diseases.
The EFF’s stance on the city’s financial situation appeared somewhat unclear, while ActionSA called on the ruling party to take responsibility for the financial collapse. IFP Cllr Ngobese sought to find a way forward to address the financial challenges. A member of the DA criticized the ruling party, likening the situation to allowing “kids in a candy shop.” Cllr Dunga countered this argument by stating that the only entities they need to pay are ESKOM, and they do not owe Rand Waters.
In addition to financial matters, the council meeting also delved into international issues. At the beginning of the meeting, Madam Speaker requested council members to observe a moment of silence for the ongoing conflict faced by Palestine. However, some members raised concerns about why only Palestine was being acknowledged and not Israel, prompting questions about South Africa’s alliances in international affairs.
By Nomfundo Twala
