Parliament, Wednesday, 28 October 2020 – Political and administrative instability at Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality is the source of challenges that riddle the municipality and that render it unable to meet its constitutional responsibility that includes the delivery of services to the people.
Also, the establishment of the coalition government of Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality without a political party that won an outright majority during the 2016 local government elections is another problem which is at the core of the municipality, that was what the Eastern Cape Provincial Government’s MEC for cooperative governance, Mr Xolile Nqatha told the Eastern Cape delegation to the Eastern Cape delegation to the NCOP and Members of the Eastern Cape Legislature today.
The Eastern Cape Provincial delegation to the NCOP is in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality and is accompanied by Members of the Eastern Cape Legislature on a week-long NCOP’s Provincial Week Programme. The delegation received from the MECs for cooperative governance, and for finance on the extent to which the provincial government support the struggling municipalities, and from the Acting Executive Mayor of the municipality on the state of the municipality.
Mr Nqatha told the delegation and Members of the Legislature that the municipality undermines the principles and the spirit of cooperative governance, and based on that, it is impossible for the provincial government to play a meaningful role in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality.
He told the delegation that the deteriorating relationship between the municipality and the provincial department is worsened by the current court matter which is between them. He said the delayed filling of the positions of the Executive Mayor and the Municipal Manger, and the non-sitting of the council to take decisions deepen the challenges that face the municipality.
In his presentation, the Acting Executive Mayor, Mr Tsonono Buyeye said the municipality is improving and there are plans in place for the restoration of its capacity. He disputed that the council doesn’t meet, he said the council meets and that it is going to meet tomorrow.
The delegation has appealed for cooperation between the municipality and the Provincial Department of Cooperative Governance. Furthermore, it asked the municipality to elaborate on the problems it levels against the department and provide an evidence in the form of letters it claims to have written to the department appealing for its support.
The delegation will today receive a briefing from the Mayor of Makana Local Municipality on the state of the municipality and visit service delivery sites that include James kleyhans Bulk Water Supply and Mayfield Bulk Oufall Sewer.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE PROVINCIAL WHIP OF THE EASTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL DELEGATION TO THE NCOP, MS NOKUZOLA NDONGENI.
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