MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs in KwaZulu-Natal Nomusa Dube-Ncube condemns burning of Councillors' houses
The MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), Honourable Nomusa Dube-Ncube, has strongly condemned the burning of the councillor’s house in the area of uMdoni, on the KZN South Coast. According to the reports a mob allegedly unhappy about water issues vented their frustration by burning the councillor’s house.
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), is gravely concerned about growing instances of attacks on municipal councillors.
The department is concerned that councillors are becoming soft targets for complex service delivery issues because of their close proximity to the communities whom they serve. The department therefore urges all councillors to report incidents for investigation to the police and vows zero tolerance of any form of violence in the province ahead of the 7 May general election.
“An attack on councillors is an attack on democracy itself because councillors are elected representatives of the people,” said KZN COGTA MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube.
“KZN has only recently emerged from a dark history of political intolerance and we are determined to do all in our power to prevent the province from regressing to an era of politically motivated killings and no-go areas,” MEC Dube-Ncube added.
COGTA is monitoring developments in areas where incidents of service related violence have occurred in recent weeks and it is ready to enlist the support of other state agencies in making sure that such incidents do not escalate to cast a shadow over the upcoming democratic election.
“We pledge our full cooperation with the South African Police Service in apprehending all perpetrators and we urge the police to expedite all investigations into such incidents,” said Dube-Ncube.
“Local government is at the coalface of service delivery in our communities and its representatives are often targeted at times are targeted by political forces opposed to them under the disguise of discontent with service delivery even if such discontent is no fault of municipal councillors,” said Dube-Ncube.
In the area where the councillor was attacked tow capex project are under way to provide water. These include uMhlabashana dam and uMkhomazi dam expected to cost over R500 million.
For more information:
Lennox Mabaso
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