The Komani Civic Forum in the Eastern Cape is calling for the removal of the Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality’s troika leadership.
The Forum says it has no confidence in the leadership as it has failed to provide basic services to citizens.
They held a demonstration at the Chris Hani and the African National Congress (ANC) regional offices on Monday.
The Forum is demanding answers following the burning of the municipal building at the weekend. The cause of the fire is unknown.
Komani Civic Forum Chairperson Zithulele Sana says, “We are suspecting that there is something they are trying to hide, like the evidence. If you burn down all the computers and all the books there is no evidence. This week an auditor was supposed to visit that office. Unfortunately for that auditor, the town hall is burnt now. People of Komani want the entire leadership running our municipality to step down. People are fed up.”
VIDEO: SABC reporter Lubabalo Dada has more details:
The municipality is expected to make an announcement about contingency plans to resume services this week.
The residents of Komani are still trying to come to terms with the fire. Resident Kulile Vethezo says that the burning of buildings is suspicious as there has been a number of municipal buildings that caught fire recently. He says that there must be an investigation on this.
The damages are estimated to be worth millions of rands.
Municipal Manager Nokuthula Zondani says the building is uninsured and repairs are estimated at R5 million.
Stadium
Last year, the municipality was accused of squandering taxpayers’ money. It reportedly spent R15-million for the Lesseyton Sports Facility.
Pictures of the facility show nothing more than a field with a few cheap-looking stands, some goalposts, and an ablution block. The Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality recently opened the sports field.
VIDEO: The Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality Municipal Manager Nokuthula Zondani is interviewed on the stadium:
