Sihle Mavuso presents the latest news from KwaZulu-Natal.
Ugu – Former employees of the ANC-run Ugu district municipality’s water and sanitation department say they have been shortchanged. They were employed to replace 101 workers who were fired in early 2020 for allegedly engaging in an illegal strike and sabotaging water infrastructure. The replacement employees, who were relieved of their duties in October 2022 when the fired employees won their case, allege that the municipality promised to give them first preference when vacancies arose, but that has not happened. The employees allege that since their contracts were not renewed, more than 40 new workers have been employed while none of them have been offered jobs.
Nkandla – The Nkandla municipality has lost another councillor and is now heading for another bruising by-election in three months. This follows the death of the IFP’s Thembinkosi Nxumalo of Ward 4, who died earlier this week after being ill for some time. Addressing his memorial service in Nkandla yesterday, Thami Ntuli, chairperson of the IFP in KwaZulu-Natal, described Nxumalo as a dedicated public servant who had diligently carried out the lifelong teaching of the late Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi to be a noble public servant.
Bergville – The community of Bethany in Bergville has not given up the search for the body of a local man whose car was swept away in a river on Sunday night. The community has been searching since then for the remains of Dumisani “Killer” Msimanga, who is presumed to have drowned with his uncle. His uncle’s body was recovered the following day near the car. The Msimanga family says it will only find closure once it has located Dumisani’s body and given him a proper funeral.
Durban – The months-long eThekwini water crisis continues to spread, even as Deputy President Paul Mashatile was in Durban today to inspect water and sanitation infrastructure. In the south of the city, the Adams and KwaMakhutha areas have gone for days without water. Newlands East and parts of Newlands West also started their weekend without water. The municipality has yet to explain what is causing the crisis.
Ixopo – The youth of Ixopo in southern KZN are preparing to march and shut down the local provincial transport offices. The youths allege that late last year the department’s local office interviewed them for general road work but they were subsequently dumped. One of the applicants claims that they waited to be called to start working but later learnt that a new group had been employed to take up the positions. The youths claim some of the new recruits were related to some of the municipality’s officials. The mooted shutdown is billed for Tuesday.
Pictured above: Ugu district municipality.
Image source: Ugu district municipality/X
