Johnathan Paoli
THE Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), have praised the approval of the budget for the city of Ekurhuleni, but says it has been stolen by the African National Congress (ANC), after the part had repeatedly rejected it.
In a statement on Friday, EFF chair Leshaka Manamela said while the party welcomed the budget presented in an extraordinary council meeting, its handling was an effort by the ANC to claim political glory solely and disingenuously for the tabling of the budget.
Manamela said it was no coincidence that the budget was tabled merely two days after the removal of the EFF’s member of the mayoral committee (MMC) for finance, Nkululeko Dunga.
“Our people must see Doctor Xhakaza and his ANC cronies and allies for what he is, a scavenger waiting to claim victories he has not worked for,” Manamela said.
He said the budget that has been approved by the council is the same budget that was tabled three weeks ago and was rejected, and was formulated by Dunga following a public participation process.
Furthermore, the chair accused Xhakaza of withdrawing an item relating to the distribution of electricity in the metro, calling for the city to substitute Eskom and carry out the provision to communities directly to ensure stable and reliable electricity.
This comes on the heels of the mayor’s announcement of Dunga’s removal in order to “effectively fast-track the completion and approval of the annual budget” and his replacement with the current chair of both the Governance and Economic Mayoral Cluster and the Budget Steering Committee and MMC for City Planning and Economic Development, Nomadlozi Nkosi as acting Finance MMC.
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