Are eThekwini ratepayers being short-changed by the ANC-led council who keep postponing meetings?
Yes‚ according to opposition parties in Durban after Tuesday’s executive committee meeting‚ scheduled for 10am‚ was postponed to accommodate a visit by President Jacob Zuma to a Toyota vehicle factory.
The meeting was originally moved to 4pm but because of councillors not being available at this time given the short notice‚ it has been moved to Monday. Councillors were told about the postponement in a text message sent about an hour before the meeting.
The opposition parties also cited the postponement of a full council meeting last month‚ with the meeting moved to accommodate the National Prayer Day which was to be addressed by Zuma. That event was itself cancelled at the last minute and only held last Sunday.
The Inkatha Freedom Party’s Mdu Nkosi said postponements happened “every three to five weeks”.
“It’s a very frustrating situation‚” said Nkosi. “Either we start late‚ by as much as an hour. These divisions about the ANC are compromising our meetings.”
In a joint statement‚ the parties said: “We believe the ongoing postponement of meetings has led to a lack of meaningful debate and discussion on some of the city’s top issues. This latest postponement is a clear indication that the ANC internal divisions‚ coupled with an organisational attitude that the party is more important that the people it serves‚ will have an effect on service delivery.”
However‚ council Speaker Logie Naidoo denied that the postponements were impacting on services.
“We agree with their concern about postponements‚ in that it does impact on our diaries. But we disagree that it impacts on decision-making. These meetings have been rescheduled‚ not cancelled. The matters will be discussed‚” he said.
He justified Tuesday’s postponement‚ saying that mayor James Nxumalo was out of the country and the meeting was meant to be chaired by his deputy‚ Nomvuso Shabalala.
However‚ because Zuma was in town‚ it was deemed important that the mayoral office was represented at the event.
“Toyota is a big investor. They employ 5‚000 people in our city‚” said Naidoo.
“There is time before next Tuesday’s council meeting for these matters to be discussed‚” he added.
People or party first‚ Durban asks ANC Metro leaders
Are eThekwini ratepayers being short-changed by the ANC-led council who keep postponing meetings?
Yes‚ according to opposition parties in Durban after Tuesday’s executive committee meeting‚ scheduled for 10am‚ was postponed to accommodate a visit by President Jacob Zuma to a Toyota vehicle factory.
The meeting was originally moved to 4pm but because of councillors not being available at this time given the short notice‚ it has been moved to Monday. Councillors were told about the postponement in a text message sent about an hour before the meeting.
The opposition parties also cited the postponement of a full council meeting last month‚ with the meeting moved to accommodate the National Prayer Day which was to be addressed by Zuma. That event was itself cancelled at the last minute and only held last Sunday.
The Inkatha Freedom Party’s Mdu Nkosi said postponements happened “every three to five weeks”.
“It’s a very frustrating situation‚” said Nkosi. “Either we start late‚ by as much as an hour. These divisions about the ANC are compromising our meetings.”
In a joint statement‚ the parties said: “We believe the ongoing postponement of meetings has led to a lack of meaningful debate and discussion on some of the city’s top issues. This latest postponement is a clear indication that the ANC internal divisions‚ coupled with an organisational attitude that the party is more important that the people it serves‚ will have an effect on service delivery.”
However‚ council Speaker Logie Naidoo denied that the postponements were impacting on services.
“We agree with their concern about postponements‚ in that it does impact on our diaries. But we disagree that it impacts on decision-making. These meetings have been rescheduled‚ not cancelled. The matters will be discussed‚” he said.
He justified Tuesday’s postponement‚ saying that mayor James Nxumalo was out of the country and the meeting was meant to be chaired by his deputy‚ Nomvuso Shabalala.
However‚ because Zuma was in town‚ it was deemed important that the mayoral office was represented at the event.
“Toyota is a big investor. They employ 5‚000 people in our city‚” said Naidoo.
“There is time before next Tuesday’s council meeting for these matters to be discussed‚” he added.
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