The EFF in KwaZulu-Natal has denounced the alleged violence against the councillors in eThekwini Metropolitan Municipal Council who were brutally removed from the council sitting for demanding an explanation for the failure of the city to spend conditional grants allocations.
This after several videos surfaced on social media where councillors in eThekwini were seen physically attacking each other.
The party alleges that the city manager, T Mbele, had failed to spend R1.9 billion of conditional grant allocations, and as a result, the National Treasury has now reduced the conditional grants to just a mere R720.9 million.
It further explained the conditional grants that have been reduced were meant for housing, stormwater and other social infrastructure.
WATCH: The full council of the eThekwini municipality was caught exchanging heavy blows at the Durban International Convention Centre in a video that has surfaced on social media. It is not yet determined where the physical spat emanated from. pic.twitter.com/AFgfXgdXZB
EFF regional chairperson Fighter Themba Mvubu, also chairperson of the human settlements and infrastructure services committee, has since fought with the city officials who allegedly failed to make progress on infrastructure spending.
“They know very well that failure to spend the money will result in it being returned to the National Treasury.
“Our people in uMlazi, Inanda, Ntuzuma, Claremont and many other areas are desperately waiting for the city to fix the infrastructure that was damaged by the flood.
“It is both disheartening and disturbing that the main reasons that are reported by officials are the refusal by the city manager to finalise appointments of contractors.
“We have received reports that all other committees appointed to finalise appointments of service providers have completed their work and made recommendations.
“However, it is not clear why the city manager refuses to do his work and ensure service delivery. The EFF in council will not be intimidated and will continue to demand accountability.
“We call on the council to be decisive and remove the city manager for failing to utilise much-needed resources, costing the city well over a billion in loss of much-needed revenue.”
The Star