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Durban — Opposition parties and civic bodies in KwaDukuza Local Municipality north of Durban are up in arms against the ANC-led council’s decision to hold a four-day conference at a cost of R1.1 million in another municipality.
Last week the council approved a R1.1m budget for travelling and accommodation of 130 politicians and officials to spend four days in a hotel on the Drakensberg mountains near Bergville.
The area falls under Okhahlamba Local Municipality under Uthukela District Municipality which is about 300km from KwaDukuza. The conference/lekgotla has been organised for mid-term review of the council’s strategic objective.
Leading the crusade was the DA and ActionSA who opposed the proposal during the council meeting. The parties referred to the decision as outrageous and shocking, adding that it was undermining the local economic development and tourism drive to make KwaDukuza a destination of choice not for only domestic tourists but international too.
The ANC, using its majority in the council, turned down the DA’s proposal to hold the meeting locally which would have saved money for basic services.
In a statement issued by party caucus leader Privi Makhan, she said the DA in KwaDukuza had opposed the ANC’s decision calling it a holiday in the Drakensberg, masked as a midterm lekgotla.
“It is simply unconscionable that R1.1 million that could have been used for services, will be used to fund this breakaway taking place from 21 January 2025. While we recognise the need for a review of the council's five-year strategic objective, we cannot agree with public funds being expended in this manner. The DA remains steadfast in our view that public funds must be used for the purpose of services to the people of KwaDukuza.” read the statement.
Makhan told the Daily News on Tuesday that there was absolutely no reason not to hold the conference in KwaDukuza which could have saved up to 50%, allowing the remaining funds to be channelled to much-needed services for the people. She said her party found it odd that the ANC-led council saw nothing wrong with taking R1.1 million out of KwaDukuza and benefiting an accommodation establishment under another municipality.
“We have many establishments here which could have been chosen. It was going to boost the local economy. As the DA we are not against holding the meeting but our problem is taking it outside KwaDukuza which would have saved a lot since there would be no need for the accommodation for anyone,” concludes Makhan.
ActionSA, which also opposed the proposal, said it was unimaginable that while there was a campaign to woo tourists to KwaDukuza, the council was sending a conflicting message which discouraged people from visiting areas of attraction that were within the municipality.
ActionSA councillor Halalisani Ndlovu said basically the decision was telling tourists that they should not come to KwaDukuza because there was no accommodation. Ndlovu said his party too was not opposed to the conference but wanted it to be hosted locally where councillors would attend and sleep in their homes thereby saving money for service delivery.
Weighing in on the matter, KwaDukuza Residents Forum also slammed the council’s decision, calling it lavish spending while residents suffer from poor service delivery. The Forum’s leader Mark Whitehead said recently the residents had to go for three days without electricity yet the council was taking R1.1 million to boost another municipality’s economy. He said the municipality was failing to fix broken street lights and potholes.
However, the Whip of the Council, Humphrey Mbatha dismissed the DA’s concerns as cheap politics, accusing Makhan of grand standing.
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Daily News