Mounting financial turmoil and unpaid salaries in Impendle have prompted the KwaZulu-Natal government to issue an ultimatum to the municipality to appoint a mayor by next week, following months of political paralysis. KwaZulu-Natal Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Thulasizwe Buthelezi issued the directive during a visit to the municipality this week, instructing council to appoint a mayor by Thursday next week. “A municipality cannot be a ship without a captain,” Buthelezi said.
Buthelezi also flagged what he described as the gross mismanagement of R43,5 million in conditional grants, saying critical service delivery projects remain incomplete while portions of the funding were diverted to cover operational costs such as salaries. Other amounts were returned to the National Treasury because they were not spent. All councillors have been served with notices to explain why they should not be held personally liable for failing to appoint a mayor.
Municipal workers have once again not been paid, raising fears of further service delivery disruptions. Impendle Municipality Speaker Sizwe Ndlela said the delay in appointing a mayor was linked to internal processes within the ANC. “We are waiting for the ANC to provide the name of a suitable candidate.
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Once that happens, council will convene a meeting so the process can begin,” Ndlela said. He said the chief whip had attempted to engage the party on Wednesday. Ndlela rejected claims that the municipality’s problems were caused by the absence of a mayor, arguing that funding constraints were the root of the crisis.
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