By Andile Moshoeshoe
Annual Report Public Hearing of the Greater Kokstad Municipality turned sour when the Municipality Mayor, Bheki Mtolo took on some community members who claimed his town has gone from better to worst.
This is despite the fact that his Municipality continues to lift up the flag of being the best managed Municipality in the KwaZulu Natal Province since it features amongst the top four Municipalities countrywide and leading in the KwaZulu Natal Province. This is according to the Africa Ratings Agency report of the year 2018.
The Municipality has since been receiving unqualified audit opinion since 2016 where seventeen matters of emphasis have been reduced to seven.
However, the Chairperson of the Kokstad Ratepayers Association, Rudolph Erasmus was not impressed by the good image of the Municipality portrayed at the meeting with a number of infrastructure projects reported to have been successfully completed.
He continued to throw his punches against the Municipality saying the town is not what it was before. To this, he dragged the names of two former Presidents of the country, Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma and the late, Nelson Rholihlahla Mandela, comparing the best and worst.
“This is not what Mandela fought for and he might be turning from the grave” to have left the country he loved to the most incompetent government of Zuma.
He further labelled Zuma as worse President during Democracy.
While raising his concern, he had photographs of both Presidents in his hands and continued to praise Mandela while lambasting Zuma saying he printed them-photographs- in case they have forgotten how they both looked like.
Mayor Mtolo wasted no time to respond saying, “if white people loved Mandela, they would have not kept him in jail for 27 years”.
He further defended Zuma saying some people like to portray a bad picture about him as if he has done nothing.
He added some business leaders turn to speak as politicians affiliated to certain political organisations who register themselves as business people on the attendance register.
“South Africa is a democratic country and anyone has a right to join political parties without hiding their face,” said Mtolo.
In his remarks, he continued to defend Zuma stating he is the only President who increased National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) budget from R 3 billion to 15 Billion, it was the same Zuma
who enrolled a massive ARVs programme, built two Mpumalanga Universities, the only President that declared free education and also made sure there is massive rural development.
He added the lies that Zuma has done nothing even within the ANC should end. “Yes, each and every President that will come and go will have his good and bad things…,” said Mtolo.
He added people speak so honestly about Mandela because they want to buy votes, hiding behind civil organisations while their tongue speaks a language of certain political organisations
