DURBAN - The former uMhlathuze Local Municipality council started returning municipal assets on Friday.
Democratic Alliance councillor Christo Botha said municipal assets were supposed to be returned and accounted for by 4pm on Friday.
Last Friday, Botha took to his Facebook page and said that morning he had requested the municipal manager retrieve all the vehicles in the mayoral fleet and bring them to the uMhlathuze Civic Centre for safe keeping.
He also asked him to take possession of the keys to the mayoral residence.
Since Thursday, there were no councillors until the inauguration of the new council. Former mayor Mduduzi Mhlongo, deputy mayor Duduzile Sibiya and Speaker Slondile Mkhize lost all their privileges.
“I am at the Civic Centre, observing the delivery of NRB 1, and a second vehicle to municipality. The rest must be accounted for by latest 4pm this afternoon (on Friday),” Botha said.
Botha was unreachable for further comment by the time of publication.
Residents who fall under the municipality were delighted by the news and had posted on Botha’s Facebook page:
Cmiso Ndlovu: “Well done. Next audits, investigation of tenders and job position, expenditures must take place very quickly.”
Lourens Basson: “I need to caution the voters to not expect miracles within days. It is going to take a long time to clear up the mess. In the meantime l want to wish councillor Botha and his fellow council members lots of blessings and wisdom to clean up what needs to be cleaned up. These other guys from the previous council were caught with their pants down and never expected this surprise.”
Richard Tebbutt: “Keep NRB1 and sell the rest along with the Mayor's guest house and with the money get some mechanical road brushes to clean our roads.”
Hendrik Bezuidenhout: “Well done UMhlathuze Ward 2 – Councillor Botha and team, please remind the municipality to change the Facebook page as well as it still holds the old mayor photo on it, as well as the sign boards.”
Patricia Franklin Greyling: “This is what we have been waiting for ..... a good clean up for Richards Bay. Thank you Councillor Botha and all those who have worked so hard to make this happen. Will be looking forward to spending many more years in the Bay.”
The municipality was one of 18 hung municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal.
The 18 hung councils are eThekwini, uMdoni, Msunduzi, uMuziwabantu, iNkosi Langalibalele, Alfred Duma, uMvoti, Newcastle, Dannhauser, eDumbe, AbaQulusi, Nongoma, uMhlabuyalingana, Mtubatuba, uMhlathuze, Mthonjaneni, Kwadukuza and Mapumulo.
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