Dube-Ncube calls for tough action to be taken on defaulting councillors
Councillors owing debts to municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal stands to lose their jobs. This was a stern warning issued by the MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Nomusa Dube-Ncube, to municipal mayors at managers during the opening session of the MUNIMEC at Coastlands in Durban, at the two-day Muni-MEC meeting yesterday (11 June 2015).
The Muni-MEC is an intergovernmental body that meets quarterly to analyse the state of local government and is made up of the MEC and the Municipal Mayors and Municipal Managers in the province. It is also a cauldron where programmes and projects by Provincial and National Government that will be implemented in Municipal Spaces are packaged.
In her address Dube-Ncube said that councillors have the responsibility of leading by example by ensuring that they pay their bills on time every month. “What we are calling for is not something that is unreasonable as the Municipal Systems and Structures Act makes provision for disciplinary steps to be taken against councillors who do not pay for municipal services. They can even be fired from their positions, since the position of being a councillor is one that goes with the responsibility of being a leader through your actions. We want all our communities to have the habit of paying for services, but our councillors have to be at the forefront” said Dube-Ncube.
Dube-Ncube went on further to clarify her statement and indicated that her department is currently working with Municipalities to get the numbers of councillors that are in arrears in the payment of their Municipal bills. “Two years ago we dealt with this issue, but are now seeing that this habit is now starting all over again and we will be certain to nip it the bud through the institution of disciplinary processes on those who have defaulted on their municipal bills” said Dube-Ncube.
“While a majority of our councillors are in the good books in terms of municipal bills, we always want100% compliance in this area, as it is an important aspect which can collapse our Municipalities as revenue collected through rates and other services are crucial in Municipalities being able to fulfil the constitutional duties” continued Dube-Ncube.
The Muni-MEC continues today with a focus on the drought currently facing the Province and the progress on the amalgamation of Municipalities ahead of the Local Government elections next year.
