Africa-Press – South-Africa. The Democratic Alliance (DA)’s mayoral candidate for the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality (NMB), Retief Odendaal, believes it is not too late to save one of the country’s ailing metros.
Odendaal noted that despite the recent the maladministration – which has gripped the Eastern Cape municipality – it still has a lot to offer.
He laid out some of his plans for the city during an interview with EWN.
The NMB recently got a letter from the National Treasury threatening to withhold its equitable share this month.
Treasury said the municipality has failed to deal with its irregular and wasteful expenditure of about R25 billion, which dates to 2005.
Odendaal said this is one latest example of the mismanagement that has plagued the municipality.
“NMB can be amongst one of the leading metros when it comes to attracting business because we are well-placed to do so. And as I have mentioned, we still have the ability to stop the rot that we have seen in other places. All we need is a good competent government.
“I always say to people, bad governments can be removed and that’s what South Africans must realise in these upcoming elections.”
Odendaal served as NMB mayor for eight months between 2022 and 2023, leading a precarious 10-party coalition government that eventually collapsed.
For More News And Analysis About South-Africa Follow Africa-Press
