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SAMWU urges Minister to intervene in Limpopo. |
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SAMWU urges Minister to intervene in Limpopo.
SAMWU PRESS STATEMENT.
18th January 2010.
The South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) the biggest trade union in the local government sector has received worrying information from COSATU and our members, about Thabazimbi Municipality in Limpopo; this Municipality has been crippled by corruption and nepotism for more than two years now.
As the year of working together to speed up effective service delivery to the people, we urge the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Sicelo Shiceka to intervene without delay and ensure that the communities of Limpopo receive basic services and the Thabazimbi Municipality be adequately capacitated, so that it may function above board.
The state of this Municipality is dangerously hampering service delivery in the area and has sent shock waves through the communities of Limpopo.
In March 2009 alone R3.6 Million Rand had gone missing from the Municipalities account and to date nothing has been done to rectify or investigate the matter. This unfortunately is only one incident among many that has plagued this Municipality.
The supply chain management policy approved by Council has not been followed to procure services in Thabazimbi Municipality. This blatant disregard for policy has led to tenders being awarded to friends and a misuse of Municipal infrastructure.
It had recently been discovered that on the 28th of January 2008 the Municipality purchased building material to erect licensing offices, surprisingly the material was never delivered to the Municipality, despite the fact that the sum of R78.285.51 was paid to the building supply store.
Recruitment policies are not followed in the Municipality. Councillors are unashamedly interfering in the administrative duties of the Municipality; influencing the decision to appoint friends and brothers instead of suitable candidates who have the relevant qualifications and experience.
It had been witnessed on several occasions that Thabazimbi Municipality during times of disaster relief, tend to favour certain Limpopo communities over others.
Local residents in Limpopo are frustrated with the condition of roads and even go so far as to say that “all roads in the area not in a good condition, there are lots of potholes and dirt roads that supposed to have been tarred but for many years nothing has been done.”
It is of grave concern to SAMWU that even the water and sanitation in the area are not satisfactory. The state of the water and sanitation is a major concern and has to be attended to, as a matter of urgency.
The Municipality is not even covering all the areas within its jurisdiction with regard to the collection of waste and the supply of electricity.
Most of the RDP houses in the area are not been occupied by their rightful owners, further frustrating residents.
As SAMWU we will take this matter to the relevant Government structures to try and immediately intervene and ensure that the Thabazimbi Municipality is able to rid itself of the cancer of corruption and nepotism and start delivering basic services to its people.
We fully support the demands formulated by a COSATU local meeting held last week, with representation from SAMWU. The demands are as follows; that forensic investigations be done with regard to the missing R3.6 million rand, a forensic audit be conducted on processes that occurred unlawfully, that a case be opened against those who were responsible for embezzling funds out of the Municipality, councillors must immediately stop influencing appointments, the Municipality must with immediate effect involve all stakeholders within the Municipality, labour brokers should be done away with, houses should be built for those who are in need of it, roads must be fixed with immediate effect, water and sanitation, electricity and waste removal services must cover all the communities of the Thabazimbi Municipality, staff must be increased in all divisions, investigations be done on issues of RDP housing and lastly the Municipal Manager, Mayor and Councillors must RESIGN with immediate effect.
The Municipality will be given 14 days to respond to the above mentioned demands. We encourage the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Sicelo Shiceka to make sure the Thabazimbi Municipality makes good on the demands we have put forward.
For further comment contact Walter Theledi SAMWU Deputy General Secretary on 011-331 0333/ 0825586580.
Tahir Sema.
South African Municipal Workers' Union of COSATU.
National Media and Publicity officer.
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Office: 011-331 0333.
Cell: 0829403403. |
Worker's News April 2008 PART 1 (514)
