The Emfuleni Local Municipality (Evaton, Sebokeng, Vaal Oewer, Vanderbijlpark, Vereeniging) has moved the exorbitantly expensive workshop that it scheduled for the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) to a cheaper venue after pressure from the FF Plus.
The Municipality had scheduled the workshop for the 13th and 14th of March at the Lakefield Conference Centre next to the OR Tambo airport in Benoni. It had also included overnight accommodation.
The FF Plus demanded in a letter to the municipal manager, April Ntuli, that the planned workshop must be cancelled seeing as Emfuleni is already in a dire financial situation.
Official letters about the matter were also sent to the Gauteng MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Mzi Khumalo, and the MEC for Treasury, Jacob Mamabola.
The FF Plus suggested that the workshop must be moved to the Vereeniging Banquet Hall to save on costs. And then the 110 councillors and officials do not have to make use of overnight facilities.
The ANC cannot plan exorbitant workshops while the Emfuleni Municipality is unable to pay its employees' salaries, meet its bulk purchase obligations to Eskom and Rand Water, and service delivery has been drastically reduced.
The FF Plus is keeping a watchful eye on the ANC-controlled Emfuleni Municipality and will not hesitate to object to rash decisions.
Emfuleni deserves better than the ANC.
