Durban — The DA rejected a statement by eThekwini Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda where he allegedly attacked the party’s provincial leadership. The DA’s deputy caucus leader Mzamo Billy said Kaunda labelled the party as racist for bringing to his attention the sewage crisis in the City.
He said this followed a video where the DA provincial chairperson, Dean Macpherson was welcoming the City’s efforts to fix a pump station in Blackburn following sustained pressure from the DA.
Macpherson rightfully went on to highlight and call for further action from the municipality to fix unresolved sewage spills seen across the city which resulted in the closing of the city’s beaches.
In a statement Kaunda said the water and sanitation infrastructure was not being fixed because of the DA’s pressure. Kaunda said the DA was pretending as if it did not understand the impact April floods had on the infrastructure.
“The DA pretends not to know just how much damage the April floods inflicted on water and sanitation infrastructure. The work that has now commenced at Ohlange Sewerage Pump Station is testimony to what the city has been communicating that work is under way to effect repairs on all critical infrastructure,” said Kaunda.
Moreover, Billy said Kaunda failed to maintain the decorum of his position and disingenuously speaks about black leaders resigning from the DA.
“We would like to remind the mayor that it is completely unethical of him to use the official municipal Facebook page belonging to the residents of eThekwini to express a political view on the businesses of the DA and its members. The fact remains that the municipality has failed to fix ongoing sewage spills which have resulted in rivers and our beaches being contaminated,” he said.
Billy further added that Kaunda must take full accountability for this failure and not allow his lack of emotional intelligence to let him down. He also warned the mayor to desist from attacking the DA using municipal resources and focus on the job which is to rid the city of the uncontrollable sewer crisis and get beaches back to normality, so that residents and tourists can safely enjoy the water again.
“DA councillors across the city will continue to put pressure on the city to do its work as we have always done. We will not be intimidated by the mayor,” he said.
Daily News