The ANC's blatant cadre deployment in the Emfuleni Local Municipality (Evaton, Sebokeng, Vaal Oewer, Vanderbijl Park, Vereeniging) does not bode well for the Municipality that is already burdened with serious sewage problems, power shortages and basically no service delivery to residents.
The appointment of Willy Bhila, Gauteng's deputy director-general for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), as the new administrator of the Emfuleni Municipality is controversial due to his unlawful interference in the Tshwane Metro Council.
At the end of last year, Bhila unconstitutionally took over a Tshwane Metro council meeting to deliberately unseat the speaker.
In addition, the decision to place the Tshwane Metro Council under administration was made on instruction of Bhila's senior, Lebongang Maile, MEC for COGTA.
Bhila's predecessor as administrator for Emfuleni was Oupa Nkoane, the former municipal manager of the Municipality. Three executive mayors served under his management.
During this time, the Municipality's outstanding debt increased from R3 billion to R6 billion, sewage flowed down the streets in residential areas and polluted the Vaal River, garbage disposal only took place sporadically, the debt owed to Eskom and Rand Water increased to billions and the bailiff was frequently knocking on the Municipality's door to seize fleets of vehicles, furniture and computers.
The Emfuleni Municipality simply cannot afford to have controversial and incompetent ANC cadres running the Municipality. The Municipality is already unable to provide residents with proper service delivery and the chances that its debt burden will be lifted in the near future seem extremely slim.
Maile's moves are all politically motivated and serve as proof that the ANC is unable to govern the towns and cities in Gauteng in a way that benefits the province’s residents.
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