ANC decision baffles Cosatu

2011-06-06 20:11

Pietermaritzburg - Cosatu is baffled by the ANC’s decision to re-appoint councillors forced to resign when the Umsunduzi Municipality was plunged into serious financial chaos, an official said on Monday.

"As Cosatu we are quite disappointed and baffled by the decision of the ANC to re-invite the same comrades who were party to the collapse of the municipality,” said Cosatu provincial secretary Zet Luzipo.

He was addressing the media in Durban after Cosatu’s special executive committee to deliberate on what has happened in Umsunduzi, which runs the City of Pietermaritzburg.

He said Cosatu was concerned that the ANC had opted to appoint Alpha Shelembe and Zonke Mbatha as deputy mayor and speaker respectively.

The two were part of the executive committee forced to resign in April 2010 amid concerns about a divisive group which had led the council to a state of near collapse.

Last year, the provincial government appointed an administrator in an attempt to ensure stability was restored in the KwaZulu-Natal council.

Luzipo said the appointment of Shelembe and Mbatha left much to be desired.

“This flies in the face of our collective alliance decision not to consider any of those who were involved in the collapse of that municipality,” he said.

The move to appoint the two reflected little to commitment to clean government and the fight against corruption, he said.

Cosatu had resolved to give full support to Umsunduzi Mayor Chris Ndlela who was also Cosatu's provincial chairperson.

“If anything happens in that municipality, of which as Cosatu we will not be surprised, but people must rest assured that this time around it will not be our chairperson who will become a sacrificial lamb,” he said.

- SAPA