KwaZulu-Natal DA provincial leader Francois Rodgers has rejected eThekwini Municipality Mayor Cyril Xaba’s call for an intervention to compel the DA-led Public Works and Infrastructure Department to settle R500 million rates debt.

Xaba and Public Works and Infrastructure MEC Martin Meyer are at each other’s throats over the settlement of a R500 million rates bill owed by the government to eThekwini.

The two have been engaged in a fierce public war since eThekwini shut down water and electricity in various government buildings in demand of the full settlement of the bill.

Xaba reached out to Rodgers in his capacity as the Finance MEC to rein in Meyer to pay the debt; however, in a scathing open letter to the mayor, Rodgers rejected the call, accusing the mayor of selective amnesia.

“Nonkosi (Xaba’s clan name), I noted with some disquiet the recent communication from your office requesting me (MEC of Finance) to resolve outstanding rates owed by Public Works and Infrastructure. I know that you did not open this, I’m sure of it. I have also known you to be intelligent and principled; you recall that you served five years with me in the Provincial Finance Committee.

“Not once did you request the then ANC MEC of Finance, Belinda Scott, to pay outstanding property rates owed to municipalities. Not once did I hear you instruct the then MEC of Public Works, Ravi Pillay, to pay over outstanding property rates. You should recall the huge amounts of outstanding property rates owed to both eThekwini and Msunduzi in those years,” read the letter.

The DA leader also reminded Xaba that with his experience in the legislature, he should have known that the MEC of Finance only tables a budget in the legislature, which the mayor’s comrades form a part of, approve, and adopt.

He added that he did not recall past budgets “that were adjusted by your comrades” to accommodate arrear property rates when Xaba served with him on the Finance Committee.

“Mayor, you would know that budgets are allocated at the commencement of the financial year; there is no surplus money to allocate to departments after allocations are affected.

“I know you understand the PFMA (Public Finance Management Act). My advice, Sir, is to find yourself an intelligent and principled advisor; you deserve nothing less,” concludes Rodgers.

The mayor’s spokesperson, Mluleki Mntungwa, said Rodgers’ open letter did not address what Mayor Xaba asked him to do.

He stated that Xaba asked him to address the R1.6 billion the city is spending on unfunded projects, which are supposed to be funded from the provincial fiscus.

“His letter talks about something the mayor did not raise. I suggest the Finance MEC goes back and re-read the mayor’s letter to him,” said Mntungwa.

He insisted the city needs R500 million to expedite service delivery to eThekwini citizens.

In a bitter exchange of words, Meyer accused Xaba of being ungrateful after his department donated unused buildings worth R54 million to the municipality.

Transport, Education, and Public Works, including Meyer’s office in Mayville, are still closed after the city shut them down. Xaba has turned down a payment plan by Meyer and demanded the whole R500 million in full.

willem.phungula@inl.co.za

Source link