Matika continues to hold Sol Plaatje to ransom

5 September 2018

Despite Mayor Mangaliso Matika’s resignation on Monday night, the failure on his part to submit a written resignation letter in effect means that he continues to govern the business of Sol Plaatje municipality from the “grave”.

Matika’s casual attitude is completely dismissive of the people of Kimberley, who are desperate for a fresh start, for service delivery and decisive action regarding electricity tariffs.

Council meetings are clouded in an air of uncertainty, decisions are being put on ice and in effect, Sol Plaatje is in limbo.

This is very worrying given the utterly filthy state that Kimberley finds itself in.

Kimberley urgently needs to get its sparkle back. For this to happen, budgets must me efficiently spent; services must resume; maintenance and upgrades must go ahead; and development must proceed according to the Infrastructure Development Plan (IDP).

The DA calls on the ANC to resolve the matter of Matika’s mysterious resignation as a matter of priority. If they fail to do this, they will put Kimberley back on the path to destruction, something that no local residents or businesses can afford at a time when we are officially in recession.

Much hard work is needed to make up for the years of service delivery failure under Matika’s leadership. The ANC’s nonchalant way of handling Matika’s resignation, however, shows just how little they really care for the people of Kimberley.

Only change under a DA government will ensure that the business of Kimberley, and not the business of the ANC, is prioritized.

Issued by Andrew Louw, DA Northern Cape Provincial Leader, 5 September 2018