Africa-Press – South-Africa. KwaZulu-Natal north coast residents came out in their numbers to demand answers from the KwaDukuza district municipality and oppose a rates hike at a budget imbizo on Thursday night but the mayor and municipal manager were a no-show.
Residents from greater Ballito, Salt Rock, Sheffield Beach and Shakas Rock packed the hall at Umhlali Prep School to raise concerns about the 9.33% rates increase, power outages and abuse of municipal resources.
On Friday KwaDukuza municipal spokesperson Sifiso Zulu said mayor Muzi “Ali” Ngidi was booked off sick.
“Yesterday [Thursday] KwaDukuza municipality had its ordinary council meeting. The mayor had to leave the meeting just before it was adjourned to consult his physician. He was then booked off and, therefore, requested the deputy mayor to represent him at the imbizo,” he said.
The mayor came under fire recently when it emerged the municipality was paying more than R173,000 a month for private security at his personal residence.
According to the latest invoice from Durban-based Pro Secure, the bill is for four day shift and four night shift guards.
The Dolphin Coast Residents and Ratepayers Association (DOCRRA) said the mayor and municipal manager were both “conspicuously absent last night, allegedly due to illness and a death in the family”.
“Their absence, and particularly that of the municipal manager, did not assist in rebuilding the broken relationship between KwaDukuza district municipality and community stakeholders. The municipal manager is the chief accounting officer and many of the questions and comments should have been answered by him.
“That being said, we commend the deputy mayor for the way he handled the meeting and the community for the important questions and feedback they contributed. Commitments have been made to us which we are hopeful will bear fruit. Our message was loud and clear: this community will not be ignored,” said DOCRRA chair Deon Viljoen.
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