KSD has asked the provincial government to step in as labour unrest continues to paralyse Mthatha.
Co-operative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) MEC Fikile Xasa is to send a delegation from his office to establish the facts around the ongoing protests that have plunged the local municipality into chaos in recent weeks.
Cogta spokesperson Mamnkeli Ngam said a request for the MEC's intervention came from KSD acting municipal manager Mbulelo Sigaba.
“We are attending to it as a matter of urgency,” said Ngam.
He refused to label the visit as an investigation by Cogta into KSD affairs. Instead, he said the team’s mission was to listen to what the problems were from key stakeholders including labour unions.
“We will provide a report with recommendations. There must be stability so as to ensure that the municipality can deliver quality services.”
It was Cogta’s job to support municipalities in their job of delivering services, he added.
KSD spokesperson Sonwabo Mampoza said the Cogta team was expected on Wednesday. It would interview several key players including mayor Dumani Zozo, Sigaba and the municipal unions.
Organised business in Mthatha welcomed the move and hoped it would help find a solution to the impasse.
OR Tambo District Chamber of Business president Vuyisile Ntlabati said a quick solution was needed.
“What has been happening here has a direct impact on service delivery.”
The DA’s Raymond Knock said he had been asking for a report during finance committee meetings to no avail, which raised suspicions.
The UDM’s Mabandla Gogo, on the other hand, described Cogta’s intervention as a case of “too little too late”, lashing out at Xasa for failing to execute the powers given to him by the constitution and intervene earlier in the crisis.
The ANC provincial secretary in the Eastern Cape, Lulama Ngcukayithobi, said the party had mandated Cosatu to deal with the structures in KSD that were its affiliates.
“What is happening there is a threat to harmony in the whole institution,” he said.
Two weeks ago a group of SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) and Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union members downed tools demanding an investigation into the alleged disappearance of R65m, which they claimed was irregularly paid out to staff as part of outstanding task grade system alignment payouts.
KSD was meant to have implemented a system with proper job evaluations and staff placements in 2009.
However, none of that was done, and staff are still being paid according to a pre-democracy transitional local council grading system.
Last month a Samwu grouping led by KSD chair Lwazi Madyibi approached public protector Busi Mkhwebane's office to investigate KSD's “missing millions”.
Some employees allegedly received millions in outstanding task grade payouts, others little or nothing.
Last week another Samwu faction embarked on its own protest. This week, when a group of workers came to the local municipality from the district authority, OR Tambo, for the Clean My Mthatha campaign they were threatened, allegedly by striking Samwu members...