As executive mayor Nomasikizi Konza cut the ribbon, a disgruntled Mzwandile Ngungxe from Kwasaki village had to slaughter his cow.
Ngungxe and other residents told their stories to DA parliamentary leader Mmusi Maimane in Nkonkobe and Great Kei municipalities yesterday.
“We live by farming livestock, and this toilet project will be a nightmare to us. It is very depressing. I was looking all over for that cow,” Ngungxe said.
At Tuba village in Great Kei, most of the toilets had collapsed and were dismantled and left in the residents’ yards.
Maimane’s visit comes after the Dispatch blew the lid on irregularities marring the R631-million sanitation project.
Accompanied by DA provincial leader Athol Trollip, MP Nosimo Balindlela and MPL Nokonwaba Matikinca, Maimane slated the municipality and the contractor, Siyenza Group, for slow progress and shoddy work.
“These people had commitment only for themselves. Some toilets have not been used, yet they are falling apart. This was a smash-and-grab for them to just take money and run away without delivering.” The DA wanted to know how Siyenza was favoured though they so obviously “lacked capacity”.
“Clearly as I go around and hear stories, they were not the best provider. We reckon they were selected because of their political connections,” he said.
ANC Amathole region secretary Teris Ntuthu called the DA visit “political grandstanding”.
“Credible state institutions like the Public Protector and Auditor-General are investigating the project. We have confidence in them,” Ntuthu said.
Kwasaki villagers said despite the open pits, dug in January, few toilets had been built and even those were not ready to use. — siphem@dispatch.co.za
DA slams Siyenza ‘smash-and-grab’
While the Amathole District Municipality mayor celebrated new toilets with one community near Ngqamakhwe a week ago, a farmer in Nkonkobe nearly 200km away
was wondering what to do with his suffering cow, which had fallen into a pit dug for the same project.
DA parliamentary leader Mmusi Maimane visited Nkonkobe and Great Kei municipalities to inspect the toilet tender issue.
As executive mayor Nomasikizi Konza cut the ribbon, a disgruntled Mzwandile Ngungxe from Kwasaki village had to slaughter his cow.
Ngungxe and other residents told their stories to DA parliamentary leader Mmusi Maimane in Nkonkobe and Great Kei municipalities yesterday.
“We live by farming livestock, and this toilet project will be a nightmare to us. It is very depressing. I was looking all over for that cow,” Ngungxe said.
At Tuba village in Great Kei, most of the toilets had collapsed and were dismantled and left in the residents’ yards.
Maimane’s visit comes after the Dispatch blew the lid on irregularities marring the R631-million sanitation project.
Accompanied by DA provincial leader Athol Trollip, MP Nosimo Balindlela and MPL Nokonwaba Matikinca, Maimane slated the municipality and the contractor, Siyenza Group, for slow progress and shoddy work.
“These people had commitment only for themselves. Some toilets have not been used, yet they are falling apart. This was a smash-and-grab for them to just take money and run away without delivering.” The DA wanted to know how Siyenza was favoured though they so obviously “lacked capacity”.
“Clearly as I go around and hear stories, they were not the best provider. We reckon they were selected because of their political connections,” he said.
ANC Amathole region secretary Teris Ntuthu called the DA visit “political grandstanding”.
“Credible state institutions like the Public Protector and Auditor-General are investigating the project. We have confidence in them,” Ntuthu said.
Kwasaki villagers said despite the open pits, dug in January, few toilets had been built and even those were not ready to use. — siphem@dispatch.co.za
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