An Eastern Cape council speaker and a ward councillor have denied claims they used state resources to advance their chances of securing a second term in office.
Nkonkobe municipality council speaker Nonkazimlo Mlala and ward councillor Xolani Dyantyi are accused of having been involved in hiring people for a road construction project.
Community members from different areas on Wednesday handed-over a petition to South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) site offices claiming councillors’ alleged nepotism when hiring people.
Mlala said she was not aware the project was hiring. “Usually such projects are communicated to the municipality, then to us councillors. But I have not had any formal communication with Sanral about this project. These people are lying; this thing is just political. The time for the local government elections is close so you should expect people to come up with these stories.”
Sanral is currently overseeing a road construction project on the R67 between Fort Beaufort and Sada.
Dyantyi also said he did not know of the project until they had a formal meeting on the site on Wednesday.
“We were told last year about the project but nothing happened for months. We were called to a meeting to pave the way for proper communication between councillors and communities. There hasn’t been anyone employed there yet, so the allegations are false,” he said.
In a petition, signed by more than 220 community members, the residents raise concerns about how the two councillors were allegedly reserving construction jobs for pals.
They claimed the councillors’ actions had divided their communities. “The lack of proper engagement … has created animosity within our communities,” the petition reads. “The councillors have used this process as a political campaigning tool as they generated the worst nepotism tendencies.”
Municipal spokeswoman Siyasanga Hompashe said the municipality was not aware of the allegations.
“Sanral is the employer, in consultation with both ward councillors and a community liaison officer, who was hired in consultation with the ward councillors,” she said.
Sanral regional manager Mbulelo Peterson said they were meeting community leaders to address all issues. “We will meet.
‘We can find a way forward with all the issues,” he said.
Council brass deny nepotism claims over road project
Nkonkobe municipality council speaker Nonkazimlo Mlala and ward councillor Xolani Dyantyi are accused of having been involved in hiring people for a road construction project.
Community members from different areas on Wednesday handed-over a petition to South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) site offices claiming councillors’ alleged nepotism when hiring people.
Mlala said she was not aware the project was hiring. “Usually such projects are communicated to the municipality, then to us councillors. But I have not had any formal communication with Sanral about this project. These people are lying; this thing is just political. The time for the local government elections is close so you should expect people to come up with these stories.”
Sanral is currently overseeing a road construction project on the R67 between Fort Beaufort and Sada.
Dyantyi also said he did not know of the project until they had a formal meeting on the site on Wednesday.
“We were told last year about the project but nothing happened for months. We were called to a meeting to pave the way for proper communication between councillors and communities. There hasn’t been anyone employed there yet, so the allegations are false,” he said.
In a petition, signed by more than 220 community members, the residents raise concerns about how the two councillors were allegedly reserving construction jobs for pals.
They claimed the councillors’ actions had divided their communities. “The lack of proper engagement … has created animosity within our communities,” the petition reads. “The councillors have used this process as a political campaigning tool as they generated the worst nepotism tendencies.”
Municipal spokeswoman Siyasanga Hompashe said the municipality was not aware of the allegations.
“Sanral is the employer, in consultation with both ward councillors and a community liaison officer, who was hired in consultation with the ward councillors,” she said.
Sanral regional manager Mbulelo Peterson said they were meeting community leaders to address all issues. “We will meet.
‘We can find a way forward with all the issues,” he said.
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