About 100 community members took part in protest action on Tuesday, where a march proceeded from the Kuyasa Community Hall to the Umsobomvu Municipality. Pictures: Supplied
COLESBERG and Norvalspont community members are demanding that a forensic investigation be carried out at Umsobomvu Local Municipality and that council be dissolved.
About 100 community members took part in protest action on Tuesday, where a march proceeded from the Kuyasa Community Hall to the Umsobomvu Municipality.
The protesters have given the municipality and local authorities 14 days in which to respond to their concerns, failing which they are threatening to shut down Colesberg.
According to a memorandum that was handed over, the community wants to be consulted on all decisions taken by council and political office-bearers affecting their rights and property.
“There are serious acts of corruption taking place in the municipality that warrant a forensic investigation as soon as possible,” it was stated.
“An amount of R5 million was either lost or stolen from the municipal coffers, yet only one junior official was arrested.
“We demand the full disclosure of the finances at the municipality.
“For a number of years we have been taken for granted by this administration. It seems as if the council has forgotten that the community voted them into power. Therefore, no decision should be taken without our consent and mandate.
“Our council has become an employment agency and board of directors that fails to take the views of the community into consideration.”
It was further stated that no remedial steps were being taken against the accounting officer, who, it is claimed, is not performing his duties.
“The appointment of the municipal manager’s son and the wife of the mayor who attended an interview a year after she was appointed, must be investigated. All top management officials are from outside the Province and region. All interns, mechanics, technicians and electricians are also from outside the Province, while local graduates are overlooked.”
The community has called for all supply chain management processes to be followed and that an investigation be conducted into the purchase of municipal trucks, allegedly without advertising the tender or obtaining quotes.
“A forensic audit must also be conducted into the R11,4 million upgrading of the toilets in Kuyasa along with all other tenders that were awarded.”
They also insisted that councillors and municipal officials be prevented from presiding over the recruitment of local residents who would be employed on municipal development projects.