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The Democratic Alliance (DA) condemns the actions of the ANC-led Msunduzi Municipality for convening a special council meeting under unlawful and irregular circumstances.

This meeting that was held on Wednesday, 21 February 2024, was conducted without the accounting officer and the two Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) administrators, clearly violates the principles of transparency and legality that govern our public institutions.

The report tabled during this special meeting, detailing allegations against Msunduzi Municipal Manager, Lulamile Mapholoba, outlines charges including gross misconduct, misrepresentation, unauthorized actions without council authority, failure to act in the best interest of the municipality, unauthorized fruitless and wasteful expenditure, and gross insubordination or dereliction of duties. However, the process followed in the tabling of this report is both irregular and unlawful, casting doubts on the intentions and the legitimacy of the proceedings.

This episode is merely a continuation of the pattern of politicking that the ANC in Msunduzi has become infamous for. Such actions come at the expense of residents, who continue to suffer from water and electricity outages and a basic lack of communication regarding the provision of essential services. This unlawful meeting is a testament to the ANC in Msunduzi's legacy of disregarding due process and the law at the expense of the people it serves.

The DA demands immediate accountability and transparency in the handling of this matter. The residents of Msunduzi deserve a municipality that operates in their best interest, adheres to the rule of law, and is free from corruption and mismanagement. We call on the relevant authorities to take swift action to rectify these irregularities and to ensure that those responsible are held to account.

The DA will continue to monitor this situation closely and will not hesitate to take further actions to ensure that governance and service delivery are conducted with the integrity, transparency, and efficiency that the residents rightfully deserve.

Issued by Hannah Shameema Winkler, MP - DA Midlands Constituency Head