Parliament, Tuesday, 4 August 2026 – The Select Committee on Public Petitions and Executive Undertakings has expressed a deep concern bout the continued absence of the KwaZulu-Natal Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs from meetings dealing with uThukela Water petition.
The Chairperson of the committee, Mr Ofentse Mokae, said: “The MEC for CoGTA has once again failed to appear before the committee despite repeated invitations. This continued absence is unacceptable and undermines Parliament’s constitutional oversight function.”
Mr Mokae said the Petitions committee has resolved to formally summon the MEC to appear before the committee on a specified date and provide a written explanation for the repeated non-attendance as well as on the issuance of the forensic report by COGTA.
He said, should the MEC fail to comply, the matter will be escalated to the Chairperson of the NCOP for appropriate action. The final committee report should also record the MEC’s repeated failure to account.
The committee scheduled a meeting today between uThukela Water and the South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) on the failures to implement the recommendations of a forensic investigation commissioned by the KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs.
KZN COGTA MEC, Rev Thulasizwe Buthelezi, tendered the apology through the departmental officials on the day of the meeting when committee members were already enroute to the meeting at uThukela Water offices in Newcastle.
The committee is dealing with the petition from SAMWU which alleged that uThukela Water had failed to implement the recommendations of a forensic report into incidents of racism and that the entity awarded contracts to a group of white-owned companies. Furthermore, SAMWU alleged that uThukela Water failed to act against senior officials accused of racism and did not implement recommendations arising from a forensic report.
The committee was expected to meet with the executive mayors and municipal managers of the uThukela District Municipality, Amajuba District Municipality, uMzinyathi District Municipality, and the Newcastle Local Municipality.
Mr Mokae said the committee has been patient with the MEC about his non-attendance, but it has reached a point where his absence has become unacceptable.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC PETITIONS AND EXECUTIVE UNDERTAKINGS, MR OFENTSE MOKAE.
For media enquiries or interviews with the committee Chairperson, please contact:
Name: Jabulani Majozi (Mr)
Parliamentary Communication Services
Cell: 083 358 5224
E-mail: jamajozi@parliament.gov.za
Arrange a tour