Sihle Mavuso presents the latest news from KwaZulu-Natal.
Richards Bay – The EFF’s protest in Richards Bay on Friday went ahead despite attempts by the IFP-run City of Umhlathuze to stop it. The party was protesting against “water-shedding” by the city in areas like Esikhawini and Ngwelezane township. The municipality refused to grant permission for the march because it said the EFF refused to reduce the time of its march from eight to four hours. It also said the EFF refused to revise its route during the march so that the busy Bullion Boulevard was not affected.
Durban – Despite a protest from a grouping of ratepayers associations, the ANC-run eThekwini municipality has tabled its R67.2-billion budget for the 2024/25 period starting on 1 July this year. The associations falling under the banner of the eThekwini Ratepayers Protest Movement said the city’s tariff hikes are too high and will cripple most households and businesses. They asked all political parties to reject the budget. Defiant to the very end, controversial mayor Mxolisi Kaunda tabled it, and it was adopted with electricity tariff hikes of 12.72% and property rate tariffs of 6.5%.
Umzumbe – The KwaZulu-Natal provincial government has decided to place the troubled Umzumbe municipality under administration. The government cited the current administrative paralysis as the motivating factor. The paralysis started last year when the ANC’s factions fought, botching council sittings and preventing decisions. Recently, the municipality failed to appoint a municipal manager, forcing the provincial Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Department to intervene and appoint Nandi Dlamini on an interim basis.
Port Shepstone – The Hawks have finally captured the killers of the police officer who was shot dead during a roadside robbery along the N2 near Port Shepstone in August last year. Constable Jarius Govender, 24, had a puncture. While he was changing the tyre at night, Mfaniseni Nombika and Victor Mseleku emerged from nowhere and robbed him and his girlfriend of their cellphones. During the scuffle, one of the suspects shot and killed him.
Umzimkhulu – Umzimkhulu in the south of the province will be the site of contestation tomorrow when the EFF and the IFP campaign for elections in the area. The EFF has sent its secretary-general Marshall Dlamini to campaign in Clydesdale. At the same time, the IFP has sent its president, Velenkosini Hlabisa, to conduct a door-to-door campaign in the area and later host a rally at Clydesdale Stadium on the same day.
Pictured above: The EFF march in Richards Bay on Friday.
Image source: Supplied
