Canaan Mdletshe
Canaan Mdletshe
The unveiling of King Dinuzulu's statue in Greytown, on the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands and the renaming of the town hall has come under fire from the opposition ANC.
According to Bongani Xulu, ANC branch secretary, the R539000 budgeted for the event could be used to address the poverty under which the majority of the municipality's residents live. Xulu said the ANC was not against the unveiling because it symbolises a deserved honour to a great Zulu king, but they were appalled by the process.
"The council has failed to communicate with all the stakeholders in the municipality. It has even failed to consult its own council on a very critical issue," said Xulu.
He said ANC councillors were shocked to learn that only three members of the 21-member council decided on the preparations, including setting a budget, inviting dignitaries, which excluded the provincial government leadership, while Inkosi Mangosuthu Buthelezi was invited.
"This is for the council to decide, not the exco.
"This conduct is very unbecoming. It should be kept in mind that one cannot run a government as if it was a bantustan. The burning issue in our town is that some people have no homes or water and the council is doing nothing about it," claimed Xulu.
Xulu further claimed that it had been decided earlier that the event would be held next year, and soon after Premier Sbu Ndebele announced that he planned to hold an imbizo in the area, the event was brought forward to Friday to coincide with the imbizo.
"We couldn't have two big events in one district at the same time.
"We are Zulus and would have loved to be part of the unveiling, but at the same time we couldn't miss an imbizo," he said.
ANC chides council over king statue
Canaan Mdletshe
Canaan Mdletshe
The unveiling of King Dinuzulu's statue in Greytown, on the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands and the renaming of the town hall has come under fire from the opposition ANC.
According to Bongani Xulu, ANC branch secretary, the R539000 budgeted for the event could be used to address the poverty under which the majority of the municipality's residents live. Xulu said the ANC was not against the unveiling because it symbolises a deserved honour to a great Zulu king, but they were appalled by the process.
"The council has failed to communicate with all the stakeholders in the municipality. It has even failed to consult its own council on a very critical issue," said Xulu.
He said ANC councillors were shocked to learn that only three members of the 21-member council decided on the preparations, including setting a budget, inviting dignitaries, which excluded the provincial government leadership, while Inkosi Mangosuthu Buthelezi was invited.
"This is for the council to decide, not the exco.
"This conduct is very unbecoming. It should be kept in mind that one cannot run a government as if it was a bantustan. The burning issue in our town is that some people have no homes or water and the council is doing nothing about it," claimed Xulu.
Xulu further claimed that it had been decided earlier that the event would be held next year, and soon after Premier Sbu Ndebele announced that he planned to hold an imbizo in the area, the event was brought forward to Friday to coincide with the imbizo.
"We couldn't have two big events in one district at the same time.
"We are Zulus and would have loved to be part of the unveiling, but at the same time we couldn't miss an imbizo," he said.
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