DA calls on Maile to dissolve the ANC-led Emfuleni Municipality

10 March 2020

Note to Editors: Pictures of the Sheriff of the Court repossessing cars from the failing ANC-led Emfuleni Municipality are attached here, here, and here.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) calls on the Gauteng Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC, Lebogang Maile, to immediately dissolve the Emfuleni Municipality following reports that Eskom has confiscated goods worth over 630 million rand belonging to Emfuleni for failing to pay debts owed to the power utility. These goods include dozens of cars and furniture among other items.

It is prime hypocrisy at its worst that Maile is taking steps illegally to dissolve a well functioning Municipality such as the DA-led City of Tshwane and overlook the failing ANC-led Emfuleni.

The DA first called on Maile to dissolve Emfuleni in August 2019 after the endless sewerage mess in the Vaal.

Emfuleni lost both of its previous mayors to scandals.

Jacob Khawe mismanaged the municipality and abandoned it to fulfil a post on the Gauteng Provincial Executive Committee while Simon Mofokeng left amidst allegations of sexual grooming.

Maile should clean up the ANC’s own backyard before pointing fingers elsewhere.

He neglected his constitutional duty to support the Emfuleni Municipality to prevent this huge embarrassment.

Maile is clearly a bungling failure as MEC of COGTA, and the Gauteng Premier should therefore fire him.

Issued by John Moodey, DA Gauteng Provincial Leader, 10 March 2020