Sihle Mavuso presents the latest news from KwaZulu-Natal.
Umdoni – Work came to a standstill at the ANC-run Umdoni (Umzinto) municipality in southern KwaZulu-Natal when employees staged a picket. They tabled 25 demands to management, led by controversial municipal manager Thabisile Ndlela. The picket was led by the Independent Municipal & Allied Trade Union and the South African Municipal Workers Union following a meeting they held on 9 April that agreed something must be done to save the municipality from total collapse. Among their demands is that the Special Investigating Unit must step in and investigate the qualifications of all the municipality’s senior managers. The workers also want the appointment of Mhlanga Inc to represent the municipality in court cases to be set aside as the law firm and its director, Ralph Mhlanga, are facing corruption charges in court.
Dundee – One of the senior officials in the IFP-run eNdumeni municipality is facing the possibility of being probed after a whistleblower wrote to the council and alleged that she made a payment to a software company although no services were rendered. The official authorised and paid the R299,999 invoice within a day. According to the complaint submitted to the council, the official allegedly said the payment was for staff training, yet no training took place.
Umfolozi – The Richards Bay-based Umfolozi TVET College, which has campuses in Ilembe and Umkhanyakude, says it is committed to resuming operations and lessons after the NSFAS board was dissolved and the new administrator made an undertaking to pay all outstanding allowances this week. Learning at various college campuses has been disrupted in the past few weeks because of the late payment of NSFAS funds.
Ladysmith – The IFP-run Uthukela municipality in northern KwaZulu-Natal was forced to call a locksmith to open its offices in central Ladysmith. This was after an angry employee of the municipality, which is under administration, used his own lock and chain to prevent access to the offices. The employee, who works in the water department, wanted to be paid for outstanding overtime. The stand-off lasted for about an hour as employees waited for the locksmith to open the offices.
Margate – The Ray Nkonyeni municipality in southern KZN is still assessing the damage caused by the storm that battered the resort town of Margate on Sunday night. Preliminary information revealed that three people from one family died when their car was washed away. The Ugu district municipality, which is responsible for disaster operations in the area, said the storm also damaged water and road infrastructure.
Pictured above: Umdoni golf course.
Image source: KZN South Coast
