With only 3% of a R349m informal settlements upgrading grant spent so far in the 2023/2024 financial year, Nelson Mandela Bay councillors were bewildered by the lacklustre spending of various departments that were allocated funding.
Claims that the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality’s chief operating officer (COO), Sidima Dyani, lied about being in the employ of a Johannesburg entity, and about the salary he was receiving at the time, to negotiate for a higher salary with the metro, have been handed over to the Hawks.
Only five out of a fleet of 49 refuse collection trucks are operational, with the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality having to fork out an extra R60m to hire private trucks to keep the city clean.
Nelson Mandela Bay mayor Gary van Niekerk has given his administration a modest 6.5 out of 10 for service delivery during his first 100 days in office, despite saying it had met most of the targets set.
Nelson Mandela Bay city manager Noxolo Nqwazi was placed on precautionary suspension during an emergency council meeting on Friday, while the disciplinary process against her unfolds.