ActionSA welcomes the appointment of Mr. Themba Mvubu as the new Chairperson of the Human Settlement, Engineering, and Transport Portfolio Committee in the eThekwini Metro Municipality. This appointment has been long-awaited, and with Mvubu in place, there is now someone who will be held accountable for the management of this important portfolio, and we expect much-needed progress to begin.
For months, this critical portfolio has lacked leadership, leaving key services in limbo, as the DA’s internal squabbles and failure to appoint a chairperson have created a vacuum.
As ActionSA, we have been vocal on numerous occasions about the delays in appointing a chairperson for this portfolio. These delays have undermined service delivery and directly affecting the lives of the people.
We believe the recent rush to appoint a chairperson in this portfolio was prompted by the disasters that have occurred in parts of eThekwini due to the heavy rains over the past few days.
It is hypocritical of the DA to claim that Mr. Mvubu was recalled for underperformance. The DA itself failed to appoint a chairperson when it entered an agreement with the ANC, EFF, and IFP to govern the city.
Their refusal to agree on who should chair the portfolio is proof that their focus has never been on service delivery, but rather on their relentless hunger for power. This fight for positions left the portfolio leaderless since June, causing the city’s infrastructure to further deteriorate.
Despite their claims of being a party that champions service delivery, the DA’s actions have proven otherwise. Their departure from their agreement shows that their involvement was never in good faith but was instead motivated by a desire to split positions and share power.
While the DA may now point fingers at other parties for Mvubu’s appointment, the truth is they have only themselves to blame for the delays and failures that have affected the people of eThekwini.
The DA’s recent decision to withdraw from its agreements in eThekwini, due to developments in the Tshwane Municipality demonstrates once again that they prioritise political manoeuvres over the needs of residents.
We will remain vigilant and will scrutinise the performance of the chairperson in this portfolio, as well as that of the Trading Services portfolio. Both portfolios are the backbone of municipal service delivery, and we will ensure that they are held accountable for providing the services that the residents of eThekwini deserve.
ActionSA Welcomes the Appointment of Chairperson of the Human Settlement, Engineering, and Transport Portfolio Committee