Note to Editors: Please find the attached soundbites in English and Afrikaans by Chris Hattingh, DA Councillor at the JB Marks Local Municipality.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in JB Marks Local Municipality calls for an investigation into the conduct of ANC councillors following allegations of corruption in the allocation of housing stands.
This week residents from the Baipei informal settlements have been protesting outside the municipal offices calling for transparency regarding the allocation of housing stands.
It is alleged that Councillor KM Maneli who is the MMC for Community Services was illegally giving stands to residents who are not on the housing and stands allocation list.
Residents from the Extensions also went to the Municipal Manager’s office demanding clarity on the construction of toilets that was supposed to take place at the Extensions settlements.
Instead of addressing concerns of residents the municipality has instead opted to spend thousands of Rands on hiring security to protect ANC politicians and senior municipal officials.
The DA calls for an immediate investigation into these claims. We call on the Executive Mayor, Kgotso Khumalo, to also address residents so that things can get back to normal.
We await the outcomes of the Hawks investigation into the JB Marks administration and the mismanagement that has been so prevalent in the municipality.
This is not the first time that allegations of corruption have been laid against ANC councillors and the municipality for allocating stands to people who are not on the list.
JB Marks Local Municipality needs to be transparent regarding the housing list so that residents know where they stand on the list and plans to address issues of their residency.
Where the DA governs, the housing list is accessible to all residents to ensure transparency and limit corruption and ensure that deserving residents receive stands and houses.