Dear Editor
The ANC has again shown complete disdain for the Dr Beyers Naude community by voting to re-appoint the inept and failed Dr Edward Rankwana as the Municipal Manager (MM) for a further five years.
During Rankwana’s time at the helm, he has failed to meet his job’s most basic performance indicators and to provide leadership while the municipality is experiencing a debilitating drought and electricity outages of up to 12 hours per day.
The number of outstanding creditors has risen alarmingly, not least of which is the money owed to Eskom. The review of the organogram, which should have been submitted in 2016 already, remains outstanding. Assets are not maintained, nor do they generate any income.
The MM also failed to provide sound legal advice to Council, resulting in the DA being forced to take the municipality to court to overturn an unlawful appointment of a mayor and the unlawful adoption of the budget.
I have written to the Eastern Cape MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Zolile Williams, to ask that he finds the appointment of Rankwana void, based on non-compliance with the Municipal System Act.
See letter here.
The ANC and its coalition partner, the CSA, successfully voted to re-appoint Rankwana. At the same time, the DA, FF Plus and EFF opposed extending his tenure and voted for a re-advertisement of the position. In support of the position to veto the appointment, the DA caucus presented a detailed list of the failures of Rankwana to fulfil his obligation.
I have personally laid two criminal charges against Rankwana. One for the failure to address repeated breaches of the National Environmental Management Act where raw sewage was flowing into the Sundays River in Graaff-Reinet. This case was closed in 2022.
The second case laid because of the municipality deducting pension monies from staff members and not paying them to the Pension Funds, remains open. At the time of laying the charges, the municipality owed more than R25 million.
The DA will continue to fight for the residents of Dr Beyers Naude and seek to rid them of a failed and corrupt government.
Regards
Samantha Graham-Maré MP
Dr Beyers Naude Constituency Leader
