The Matjhabeng Mayoral Committee’s decision to suspend all overtime was reckless and showed no regard for the residents of the Matjhabeng Local Municipality’s rights to receive the basic services they pay for.
This sentiment is being shared across the political spectrum, and among all of the thousands of Matjhabeng residents who have been without power and water, and who are drowning in sewage.
On Friday afternoon (21/10) during the Matjhabeng Mayoral Committee Meeting (Mayco) the mayor, Thanduxolo Khalipha, took a unilateral decision that all overtime is to be stopped with immediate effect.
According to the Municipal Systems Act, a mayor has an oversight role – he may not decide policy, hire and fire and change processes.
This decision has had profound negative effects on the administration of the municipality, and it is apparent that when the decision was made no thought was given to emergency work that needs to be done.
This stance boomeranged on Saturday when the lower Bedelia, including the Reahola Complex in Stateway, were powerless for more than five hours while municipal officials were not allowed to restore power.
Residents “took up arms” and barricaded Stateway.
On Monday and Tuesday Riebeeckstad was without power for more than 24 hours.
Meanwhile, water and sewage are flooding hundreds of roads in Matjhabeng.
Notions being bandied on social media platforms are that it is the “split” between the administrative arm and the politicians that has resulted in “reactive sabotage”.
This has crippling effects on residents, the innocent bystanders in the fray.
Igor Scheurkogel, DA councillor, wrote in a scathing letter following the Mayco that to make a decision without informing council, and especially ward councillors, showed that there was a lack of accountability.
Willing officials and the municipal manager could not perform their duties, which is a direct contradiction of the Systems Act.
“It is clear that the mayor and his leadership have no regard of Batho Pele, and because their own house is not in order, there is no desire to deliver basic services,” he wrote.
