THE ANC's decision to recall Standerton, Mpumalanga's Lekwa municipality mayor and mayoral committee deserves applause.
THE ANC's decision to recall Standerton, Mpumalanga's Lekwa municipality mayor and mayoral committee deserves applause.
It sends a clear message that the voice of the people will be heard and that public representatives who lose the confidence of the electorate have no moral right to stay in their jobs.
That said, the government has to send out an equally unmistakable message that burning a library or community hall to show anger at poor delivery, as in Sakhile township, is as silly as it is criminal.
Speaking of criminal, the Sakhile community has made defamatory allegations against the councillors. The ANC task team's decision will only go halfway if it leaves the allegations unanswered.
An inquiry by a competent law enforcement agency is necessary to get to the bottom of the allegations.
Failure to deal with the allegations will also embolden unscrupulous individuals who exploit legitimate grievances and wantonly spread falsehoods against those in government knowing it will be enough to have them removed.
But all these cannot be permanent solutions to the problems brought to light by Sakhile developments. We have seen similar allegations in other communities before and we are set to see more.
The onus remains on political parties that control municipalities to ensure that only communities know to be beyond reproach are entrusted with the job of bringing the promised better life to those who need it most.
ANC must go all the way
THE ANC's decision to recall Standerton, Mpumalanga's Lekwa municipality mayor and mayoral committee deserves applause.
THE ANC's decision to recall Standerton, Mpumalanga's Lekwa municipality mayor and mayoral committee deserves applause.
It sends a clear message that the voice of the people will be heard and that public representatives who lose the confidence of the electorate have no moral right to stay in their jobs.
That said, the government has to send out an equally unmistakable message that burning a library or community hall to show anger at poor delivery, as in Sakhile township, is as silly as it is criminal.
Speaking of criminal, the Sakhile community has made defamatory allegations against the councillors. The ANC task team's decision will only go halfway if it leaves the allegations unanswered.
An inquiry by a competent law enforcement agency is necessary to get to the bottom of the allegations.
Failure to deal with the allegations will also embolden unscrupulous individuals who exploit legitimate grievances and wantonly spread falsehoods against those in government knowing it will be enough to have them removed.
But all these cannot be permanent solutions to the problems brought to light by Sakhile developments. We have seen similar allegations in other communities before and we are set to see more.
The onus remains on political parties that control municipalities to ensure that only communities know to be beyond reproach are entrusted with the job of bringing the promised better life to those who need it most.