Kei Road, August 2, 2024 – A protest erupted in Kei Road, with community members expressing anger and frustration over allegations that the ward councillor illegally employed individuals without consulting the community or following proper procedures.
The protest, which began at 03:00 am, saw the closure of the R63 road, with no cars allowed to pass through the area. Community members accused the Councillor of unilaterally employing people, bypassing the committee and community, and not using the official employment list.
However, this is how the story started. The youth approached the committee to inquire about the employment process of municipal employees, specifically asking if the committee knew how they were employed. The committee responded that they do not know. The youth explained that their concern stemmed from the fact that some individuals were employed by the municipality for the second time in a row, while others were employed by the councillor without clear procedures.
The youth requested the committee’s assistance in investigating the matter further by visiting the municipality to gather more information. However, before visiting the municipality, the youth had already contacted the councillor, who claimed to have employed individuals according to a list. At the municipality, the committee met with the office of cooperation and asked about the employment process. They were told that the municipality receives candidate names from either the councillors or ward committees.
The committee pressed for clarification on whether the municipality uses a standardized list for employment, given the concerns about transparency. The lady in the office revealed that there is no centralized list, and instead, the municipality requests lists from the councillors.
According to Masafra Carelsen chairperson of Kei Road, the community had tried to address the issue through meetings with the speaker, where the councillor had initially suggested that the individuals she employed without authorization should be let go. However, the councillor failed to write a letter to the municipality regarding the matter.
Community members expressed their dissatisfaction, stating that the councillor does not care about the people who voted for her and has neglected their needs. They demanded the removal of the illegally employed individuals and called for fair employment opportunities.
The youth also participated in the protest, highlighting the councillor’s lack of communication and forgetfulness of the community’s role in her position. They emphasized that enough is enough and demanded change.
“We are fed up with the councillor’s actions,” said one community member. “She does not listen to us or consider our needs. We want transparency and accountability.”
The protest resulted in workers and learners being unable to attend work and school.
In response, Mr. Mbende, manager of Amahlathi municipality in Kei Road, stated that an investigation will be conducted to determine how the councillor managed to employ individuals without following proper procedures and consulting the community.
“We take these allegations seriously and will ensure that a thorough investigation is conducted as we had no idea of these allegations,” said Mr. Mbende.
The investigation is expected to begin immediately, with updates to be provided to the community. In the meantime the community is still waiting for their demands to be met.
Efforts to reach the councillor were unsuccessful, as numerous calls went unanswered.