By Anita Dangazele
- An early morning fire damaged key offices, including the council chamber, LED room and admin offices. Vital documents were also lost in the fire.
- The fire follows a complaint to the minister about corruption, a bogus R374,000 workshop, and calls to place the municipality under administration.
The main municipal building of the troubled Kumkani Mhlontlo Municipality in Qumbu, Eastern Cape, was destroyed by fire early on Monday morning.
This comes just days after a local resident wrote to Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa and Eastern Cape MEC Zolile Williams, accusing the municipality of corruption and poor service delivery.
The fire broke out in the early hours and gutted important areas, including the council chamber, the administrative office and a room used for Local Economic Development that housed several computers.
Municipal Mayor Mbulelo Jara confirmed that a case of arson has been opened. He said investigations are underway, and essential records, including the indigent register, were lost in the fire.
In a statement, the Economic Freedom Fighters said the fire was a symptom of public frustration caused by years of corruption and failed governance.
“While the EFF does not support violence or the destruction of infrastructure, it is clear these actions reflect a community pushed to the edge,” said the party.
They accused the municipality of being riddled with political interference and maladministration.
The United Democratic Movement also slammed the municipality, claiming it spent R374,000 on a “bogus workshop” in July 2024. The party said the workshop never happened and demanded a special council meeting to investigate.
“We know nothing about this workshop and view it as a looting scam,” the UDM said in a letter dated 29 May.
Both the EFF and the UDM have called for the municipality to be placed under administration. They want the executive leadership removed, ethical administrators appointed, and a full forensic investigation launched. They also want all officials involved in corruption to face criminal charges.
Despite the chaos, municipal spokesperson Mamela Mangcotywa said service delivery would continue. She said salaries would be paid, and contingency plans were in place to reduce disruptions.
An assessment of the damage is still underway, and no cost estimate has been confirmed.
Police Captain Welile Matyholo confirmed the case of arson and said the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Pictured above: The main building of the Kumkani Mhlontlo Local Municipality was gutted by fire on Monday.
Image source: Kumkani Mhlontlo Local Municipality
