KZN Cogta MEC wants answers over inaction against 'racist' DA councillor

A KwaZulu-Natal DA councillor is in hot water after she circulated a voice note in which she said she was disappointed an Indian-dominated community elected a black woman to the ward committee. 

Connie Hariram, ward 3 councillor in Newcastle, allegedly made the recording after ward elections in February and sent it to a WhatsApp community group. 

In it, she said the election of then Abathu Bantu Congress candidate Thandeka Reed in February 2022 was the worst and most stressful day. 

“I'm so disappointed that I could cry. What some of you have done has really disappointed me. That lady, Thandeka, is a black lady and we were all Indians there. Who voted for her? The Indians. The people that I’m talking to right now, their people, and family and friends voted for her,” she said.

“I’m very disappointed and I don’t know what to say and what to do.”

Contacted for comment, Hariram referred queries to provincial leadership.

DA provincial spokesperson Sthe Ngema said the party had taken action on the matter. He said when the allegations surfaced, an investigation was launched and concluded before the end of 2022.

“The councillor in question has admitted guilt and expressed remorse. The DA will now consider the investigation outcomes, along with admissions made by the councillor,” said Ngema.

Reed told TimesLIVE she was made aware of the voice note in September.

“I have made a number of attempts to ensure this is dealt with, but there is no progress. The municipality was aware of this and I even went as far as reporting it to the Human Rights Commission in December.

“We didn't know each other. I only knew her from the posters and I guess she didn't like me and didn't like the fact the community members elected me while I’m black. I haven't rested and won't rest until justice is done,” said Reed.

On Tuesday, KZN co-operative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) MEC Sihle Zikalala asked the municipality's speaker to investigate the allegations. He said councillors were public representatives and should work towards creating social cohesion within their communities. 

Saying someone should not have been elected to a ward committee because of their skin colour is distasteful and unfitting of a public representative, said Zikalala. 

“The sphere of local government is at the coal face of service delivery and therefore needs leaders who have empathy and a willingness to work with all people, irrespective of race, culture and creed. 

“The speaker of the municipality is duty-bound to investigate these alleged utterances by the councillor to see if they are in breach of the council's code of conduct,” he added.

The department also warned councillors about the seriousness of the oath they took when sworn in.

ActionSA KZN chairperson Zwakele Mncwango also questioned municipal inaction on the matter.

Mncwango, the former DA KZN leader, said Reed lodged a complaint with the municipality in October, but there was no response.

TimesLIVE