Johnathan Paoli
THE Executive Mayor of the City of Ekurhuleni Nkosindiphile Xhakaza has announced the removal of Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) provincial chairperson Nkululeko Dunga as member of the mayoral committee (MMC) for finance.
Xhakaza made a statement on Wednesday and said the removal of Dunga, an EFF candidate, was due to “unforeseen misalignments”.
“This decision is aimed at ensuring that we can effectively fast-track the completion and approval of the annual budget, a critical task for the continued development and growth of our city,” the Mayor said.
MMC for city planning and economic development Nomadlozi Nkosi has been assigned to oversee the finance portfolio, with the Mayor expected to announce Dunga’s replacement in due course.
Earlier in the year, Dunga was accused of failing to submit the City’s 2022/2023 annual financial statements within the legislated deadline, breaching the Municipal Finance Management Act.
However, Dunga defended himself and said he did submit the financial statements in August last year and that the office of the Auditor-General of SA (AGSA) was obligated to submit an audit report on these statements to the accounting officer of the municipality within three months of receipt of the statement.
The party claimed that AGSA’s delay in releasing the outstanding audit report was an attempt at political sabotage.
Reports of cracks in the EFF-ANC coalition governing the municipality have been mounting, specifically around capital liquidity and a possible financial crisis.
Ekurhuleni council’s chief whip, ANC regional chairperson Jongizizwe Dlabathi, previously said that overall revenue collection remained low.
“If there could be a crisis of revenue collection, the institution would not be able to fulfil some of the core service delivery obligations around water, electricity, sanitation and waste collection — that is a liquidity risk that we are sitting with,” Dlabathi said.
EFF’s Tsogoane Mashianoke dismissed the concerns and said the metro in fact experienced an improvement in its financial management.
“If we had a crisis, we would not be able to pay workers. In fact, the report we received in council indicated that the finances have improved,” Mashianoke said.
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