Sihle Mavuso presents the latest news from KwaZulu-Natal.
Vryheid – Nomagugu Simelane-Mngadi, the ANC’s outgoing MEC for health in KwaZulu-Natal, has denied that statements she made in Vryheid – leading to Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi suing her for R10-million – were defamatory. In court papers filed after she was given five days to do so after missing the first deadline, Simelane-Mngadi said her comments in Zulu were wrongly translated. Buthelezi, the traditional prime minister of the Zulu nation, said he will not back down until she shows evidence to support her claims.
Isiphingo – The Home Affairs office in Isiphingo has once again reported that it cannot service citizens. Most of the people in the offices wanted to collect their IDs to vote on Wednesday. Late last week, the systems went down and the office was unable to service people.
Pietermaritzburg – The South African Local Government Association in KwaZulu-Natal is unhappy with the provincial government’s move to put several municipalities under administration on the eve of its departure from office. The association asked the provincial government to stop using its powers for political reasons. The government has already written to the Zululand and the Umzumbe municipalities to tell them that they will be under the guidance of administrators.
Port Shepstone – South Coast Tourism and Investment Enterprise staff have been told to be ready for two months of financial issues. This is after the department, under the ANC-run Ugu district municipality, suddenly ran out of cash, forcing it to pay its employees only 50% of their salaries for May and June. In a memo to staff, the management of the entity said the district municipality had told it that it may receive a payment on 15 July, which is two weeks after the new financial year for local government entities.
Richards Bay – The IFP’s premier candidate for KwaZulu-Natal, Thami Ntuli, has decided to cut down on his monitoring of the special voting process across the province after what he termed “intimidation tactics” by bogus law enforcement officers in Richards Bay on Monday. Ntuli was supposed to be in Durban and Pietermaritzburg for the entire day on Tuesday. Scrolla.Africa reported earlier today that the “bogus law enforcement officers” were members of the SAPS’ elite National Intervention Unit. Ntuli has said he will now stick to voting stations around his home area of Nkandla, fearing that the officers will target him again. He has opened a case with the police to investigate the matter.
Pictured above: Nomagugu Simelane-Mngadi denies that she defamed Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi.
Image source: Facebook
