Cape Town Urban Waste Management MMC Grant Twigg has shot down allegations that he, along with other senior officials, caused the metro's waste collection to collapse.

In an interview with News24, Twigg said he was focused on ensuring the delivery of waste services, formal and informal, across the city. 

"It is my job to hold the administration accountable to the agenda of our mayor, conduct oversight over operations, and propose solutions to prevailing issues," he said. 

A scathing confidential report, which News24 has seen, was tabled in the City's last council meeting in December and states that the formation of a new "in-house" waste management model was undertaken with no delegated authority by Twigg and his executive director, Luzuko Mdunyelwa.

Cleaning and collection of waste in informal settlements have largely been performed by external service providers. 

In July last year, these services began being performed in-house. 

According to the report, the City was at risk of the most vulnerable not receiving "optimum service delivery". 

The report further stated that a high-level investigation report was received by the city manager in December and contained allegations of misconduct against Mdunyelwa.

"The report indicates that the executive director was not only involved but responsible for changing the service delivery model, which has resulted in the collapse of the service in informal settlements, without any due diligence," it said.

According to the forensic investigation, which was also tabled at council, senior investigator George Ainslie stated that the city's manager, Lungelo Mbandazayo, had convened a meeting with Urban Waste Management in July last year after complaints were received and the City was taken to court by one of the service providers whose contract was terminated at the end of May last year. 

During the meeting, it was revealed that what was envisaged as a pilot in-house project was changed to a full in-house model for informal settlement cleaning. 

The report also stated that a total of 18 902 complaints were received, of which 7 129 were from areas where service providers are servicing areas.

"[The new model] resulted in the collapse of service in informal settlements without any proper due diligence,” it said. 

But Twigg called the allegations "baseless".

"There has been a problem of cleansing delivery for several months in informal settlements and formal areas, and this has been the case before any forensic investigation because of poor contractor management; any proposals or suggestions from my office would be to remedy any situation," he said. 

Twigg added that regardless of his views on in-sourcing services, interventions were required to ensure delivery.

"I serve at the pleasure of our executive mayor. He has no reason to suspend me, and I will continue dedicating all my efforts to delivering on his electoral commitments. No amount of political posturing will change that," he added.

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis told News24 that Twigg was doing the right thing, expressing his concern about the quality of delivery from private contractors in informal settlements.

"The desired outcome was cleaner informal settlements and better service for residents living there. However, there was clearly more preparation needed before the City took over and in-sourced these services," he stressed. 

Hill-Lewis added that there was no suggestion of any impropriety, merely a reasonable idea that was not well executed.  

"The suggestion of 'waste collection collapse' is incorrect. Our internal teams have been doing the work and have managed admirably despite the increased pressure. And this affects seven informal settlement areas, not the whole metro," he said. 

However, opposition parties have called for Twigg to be suspended.

The ANC's Dullah Omar Region regional spokesperson Akhona Jonginamba said the change in the in-house model was done in violation of the Local Municipality Financial Management Act.

"In addition to Grant Twigg's actions, and in line with the consistent agenda of the DA, the quality of life in poor working-class communities deteriorated immensely as basic services were denied. This forced our people to live in squalid and unhealthy conditions, which has led to incidents of children being bitten by rodents that have emerged due to the lack of waste collection," Jonginamba said. 

Lulama Benge, councillor for the GOOD party, said they had written to Hill-Lewis and council speaker Felicity Purchase to request that a special council meeting be called within seven days. 

"The investigation into this massive failure and lack of due diligence must also be conducted speedily and thoroughly so that the necessary action can be taken and stability restored in this area of service,” he said. 

Hill-Lewis said calls for Twiggs' suspension was "just politicking".