KSD leadership has been summoned to Bhisho to account for the financial crisis that threatens to bring services to a halt.On Tuesday municipal manager Zizamele Mnqanqeni released a circular informing staff members there was no money to pay them on June 25.
On Wednesday Mnqanqeni made a run for it, going on sick leave for an undisclosed number of days and leaving mayor Nonkoliso Ngqongwa to deal with the mess.
Local government superintendent-general Stanley Khanyile told the Daily Dispatch he would meet KSD’s top management and political leadership on Tuesday to read them the riot act.
Mnqanqeni will have to come back from sick leave to face Khanyile alongside the municipality’s chief whip, mayor and speaker.
“We are going to have a critical session on Tuesday with the troika and the management. We will read them the riot act and ask them how they allowed themselves to get where they are. We gave them funds and conditions to apply stringent measures. They have not implemented those things. We are back to where we were now because of their inability to manage things,” said Khanyile.
Ngqongwa was also summoned by the regional ANC structure to supply answers after numerous Daily Dispatch reports on the financial turmoil.
ANC regional secretary Lulama Ngcukayithobi said: “We acknowledge that the municipality is suffering financial strain because of the Landmark debt that was not budgeted for.
“The other thing is the weakness of the administration. The debt is something that was left unattended by the previous administration.
“The current administration carried the burden of the Landmark deal.
“The municipality is of the view that it will be able to pay staff this month. They say there is no need to panic.
“They are supposed to come back to us by Monday with a full report.
“We support the option of requesting intervention from provincial and national governments.”
Yesterday afternoon union leaders were locked in meetings with Ngqongwa to find a way forward. Staff members are working as normal as they wait for answers.
Opposition parties put the blame squarely on Mnqanqeni and the CFO Nomthandazo Ntshanga.
Civic Alliance of South Africa provincial leader JJ Ndzambule also blames former local government MEC Mlibo Qoboshiyane. “The meltdown at KSD is due to the scam administered by Mnqanqeni and his self-appointed CFO. is wholly responsible for ransacking and plunging the municipality into crisis.
“When everything was done to bring the crisis to his attention he turned a blind eye in favour of political considerations and factionalism at the expense of service delivery and the community at large.”
Ndzambule slammed Mnqanqeni saying he was incompetent for suggesting salaries could be paid from the equitable share. “Equitable share is for providing basic services, not for salaries. The circular has no locus standi because is known to be on leave.”
The UDM’s Wandile Tsipa said the party would stand behind its KSD council chief whip Ndiyabulela Mtwa, who would raise a motion to dismiss Mnqanqeni and Ntshanga.
He also blamed Qoboshiyane for interfering in the appointment of the two managers. “When we questioned the appointment of Ntshanga said we should ratify it.
“We are also going to engage our national office to call on Cooperative Governance Minister Pravin Gordhan.
“We want a forensic investigation into the tenders we have questioned.”
Mnqanqeni could not be reached, and Qoboshiyane’s phone rang unanswered. — abongilem@dispatch.co.za
Bhisho calls KSD to account
On Tuesday municipal manager Zizamele Mnqanqeni released a circular informing staff members there was no money to pay them on June 25.
On Wednesday Mnqanqeni made a run for it, going on sick leave for an undisclosed number of days and leaving mayor Nonkoliso Ngqongwa to deal with the mess.
Local government superintendent-general Stanley Khanyile told the Daily Dispatch he would meet KSD’s top management and political leadership on Tuesday to read them the riot act.
Mnqanqeni will have to come back from sick leave to face Khanyile alongside the municipality’s chief whip, mayor and speaker.
“We are going to have a critical session on Tuesday with the troika and the management. We will read them the riot act and ask them how they allowed themselves to get where they are. We gave them funds and conditions to apply stringent measures. They have not implemented those things. We are back to where we were now because of their inability to manage things,” said Khanyile.
Ngqongwa was also summoned by the regional ANC structure to supply answers after numerous Daily Dispatch reports on the financial turmoil.
ANC regional secretary Lulama Ngcukayithobi said: “We acknowledge that the municipality is suffering financial strain because of the Landmark debt that was not budgeted for.
“The other thing is the weakness of the administration. The debt is something that was left unattended by the previous administration.
“The current administration carried the burden of the Landmark deal.
“The municipality is of the view that it will be able to pay staff this month. They say there is no need to panic.
“They are supposed to come back to us by Monday with a full report.
“We support the option of requesting intervention from provincial and national governments.”
Yesterday afternoon union leaders were locked in meetings with Ngqongwa to find a way forward. Staff members are working as normal as they wait for answers.
Opposition parties put the blame squarely on Mnqanqeni and the CFO Nomthandazo Ntshanga.
Civic Alliance of South Africa provincial leader JJ Ndzambule also blames former local government MEC Mlibo Qoboshiyane. “The meltdown at KSD is due to the scam administered by Mnqanqeni and his self-appointed CFO. is wholly responsible for ransacking and plunging the municipality into crisis.
“When everything was done to bring the crisis to his attention he turned a blind eye in favour of political considerations and factionalism at the expense of service delivery and the community at large.”
Ndzambule slammed Mnqanqeni saying he was incompetent for suggesting salaries could be paid from the equitable share. “Equitable share is for providing basic services, not for salaries. The circular has no locus standi because is known to be on leave.”
The UDM’s Wandile Tsipa said the party would stand behind its KSD council chief whip Ndiyabulela Mtwa, who would raise a motion to dismiss Mnqanqeni and Ntshanga.
He also blamed Qoboshiyane for interfering in the appointment of the two managers. “When we questioned the appointment of Ntshanga said we should ratify it.
“We are also going to engage our national office to call on Cooperative Governance Minister Pravin Gordhan.
“We want a forensic investigation into the tenders we have questioned.”
Mnqanqeni could not be reached, and Qoboshiyane’s phone rang unanswered. — abongilem@dispatch.co.za
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