King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD) Municipality has come under fire from the Presidency after its mayor admitted to covering up dozens of potholes only because President Jacob Zuma had come to town, writes Lubabalo Ngcukana. (Click on image below to enlarge).
Zuma was visiting Mthatha at the weekend to address thousands of ANC Youth League (ANCYL) members in Ngangelizwe for the league’s 65th anniversary celebrations.
But on the eve of his visit, there was feverish activity as municipal employees were seen hard at work patching up the city’s crumbling roads, covering up dozens of potholes.
KSD’s municipality has come under fire from the Presidency after its mayor admitted to covering up dozens of potholes only because Zuma had come to town.
The municipality admitted it also levelled the stadium grounds, ostensibly so that cars driven by the President’s security detail would not be damaged.
The number of pothole patchwork on the route the president and his entourage used are noticeable.
The other roads in town are however still in a shocking state.
A Daily Dispatch team yesterday retraced the route Zuma and his entourage took on Saturday and found that Zuma had succeeded in prompting improvements where protesting residents had failed.
The President’s biggest success was the fixing of a particularly bad pothole that had cut across an entire street in Ngangelizwe for more than five months!
Broken traffic lights at Nelson Mandela Drive that had not worked for more than three months were also replaced with new ones.
Contacted for comment on Monday, the municipality admitted workers had been ordered to fill up potholes and fix roads last week.
KSD mayor Siyakholwa Mlamli said it had been done especially for Zuma’s visit.
He said that an “advance team” from the Presidency had been sent a week ago to inspect the area.
“This advance team made its own demands. They first came to inspect … that is why those pot holes were patched,” Mlamli said.
“They are looking at the security and the welfare of the President. Even if the President is here for ANC gatherings, he is also President of the country, so when they say he cannot travel onto a certain road, we must fix that road.”
Mlamli denied anything underhanded and insisted it was an “open secret” that Mthatha had a problem with potholes.
“This is not a cover-up of potholes, it’s a open secret. How can we cover that? That is why the president intervened,” Mlamli said.
Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya, however, on Monday refuted claims that they had instructed the fixing of roads for Zuma’s visit.
However, Mlamli’s statement was met with outrage from both the presidency and the ANC on the allegations that the presidency instructed the municipality to fix the roads merely for Zuma.
“The Presidency does not give instructions to municipalities to fix roads before the President’s visit. It is false information,” Magwenya.
“How would the Presidency give such a ridiculous instruction? The mayor has run out of ideas to explain why he did what he did.”
One would also expect that President Zuma would either travel in a BMW X5 or Mercedes-Benz ML500 – both cars with high clearance and proven German off-road capabilities.
So do you think Buffalo City needs to send President Zuma an invite? Your comments please.
27 Comments Already, Leave Yours Too
Did the KSD mayor meant that everything or service delivery will be done prio the visit of the President,what if the President won’t visit the whole SA during his term office
This clearly shows that Mthatha/ksd municipality has funds to mantain the infrastructure, but the money never gets used until “pressing” times like the zuma’s visit. These people should be brought to book becuase they are kiling the economy of an already dying town.
That Mayor is is just a Mayor to earn his salariy, how can a well know town like Mthatha be in that state, they have University which can produce competent staff for the KSD Municipality. The problem of Umthata is like Alice , if one look at the state of Alice it is a town that look like it has never produce people like Madiba tec. Wjhy do you get student who completed their studies at WSU and fort hare to work for these two towns.If I were the president JZ or even the Chairperson of the ANc I would have sacked that Mayor long,
That Mayor is is just a Mayor to earn his salariy, how can a well know town like Mthatha be in that state, they have University which can produce competent staff for the KSD Municipality. The problem of Umthata is like Alice , if one look at the state of Alice it is a town that look like it has never produce people like Madiba tec. Why don’t you get student who completed their studies at WSU and fort hare to work for these two towns.If I were the president JZ or even the Chairperson of the ANc I
Why must they always be told what to do?
Oxygen thieves
Suppose it was back to normal after “Zuma” left.
Cosmetic surgery is not sufficient for some of our towns – they need a complete “Face/Off”.
FIRE HIM, HE IS INCOMPETENT, THE YEAR 2009, I WORK IN GAUTENG AND EVERYTIME I WANT TO GO HOME I HAVE TO CONSIDER THE BAD STATE OF ROADS IN MY HOMETOWN(E.C). SERVICE DELIVERY FOR THE PEOPLE NOT THE PRESIDENT/MALEMA. THE MAYOR IS STILL STUCK-UP IN THE OLD TRANSKEI REGIME WHERE ROADS & SCHOOLS WERE FIXED ONLY WHEN GOVERNMENT MINISTERS WERE TO VISIT, FIRE HIM.
That mayor missed an opportunity of justifying why the urgency why the R69m earmarked for Umtata revamp should release.
Instead he elected to portraty Umtata as a normal city by hiding the dirty linen. May be that’s what they use to do in previous regimes. Sorry not for Zuma.
The president is serious about the plight of our communities, esp the infrastructure. That mayor is a mampara.
It is a shame that municipalities do not deliver yet we pay rates every month and once you do not pay the electricity it is blocked. This happens even in East London where I am staying. Its time we rate payers show these uncaring people that we the voters mean business. Lets demand delivery bahlali.
The effective form of boycot in municipalites is a rates boycott.If they can listen to Port Alfred communities, who went on rates boycott, they’ll listen to everyone. But i still wish all business and taxpayers could have a Vat & Tax boycott. Our tax money is wasted on million rand beemers and, demolition of crap rdp houses and parties
The mayor of KSD is doing what is best done by all LMs in the EC. Roads are mostly done when ministers and president are visiting their areas. This is has been happening all along. My question is one where were these funds and staff to implement this maintenance hidden from. becoz I believe every LM has maintenance budget all the year round but why are these things not done on monthly basis as a routine. something is really wrong and must be sorted out.
EX-COM, why are people like yourself not making themselves available to stand in the elections at both local & National level ?
Your clear, pro-active and forward thinking is exactly what is needed in these times. I would be proud to vote for somebody like you regardless of whether you are black, white, purple, or had 12 legs.
PHUMOZET, if this sort of behaviour is ‘not for Zuma’ then why not phone his hotline and see if kicks-ass. You a betting man ?
Gavin, thanks for the compliment. My major problem is the fact that I detest politics.There’s a strategy i’m developing with my brother, in order to create more awareness, and open the minds of our fellow blind (”we’ll go down to the dumps with you kinda mentality)loyalists. Without giving out much info, we’re using the populists/entertainment/pop mentality, with positive and pro-active message. Watch this space…
Lets offer the President a home in Mthatha then we can have our roads spruced up every now and again
In other words ex-com is going to be a rapper. 
. lol im kidding. Intrested in hearing your ideas bru. Just not on 3talk please.
hahahah mucabbage. if you’re thinking rap, i suggest you get out of the box. 
@Phumzo – For once I agree with you :
“That mayor is a mampara”
So right you are
@ Ex-Com – I’ll vote for you any day. It’s time that the masses stand up against the ANC as they’re ruining our beautiful country.
@ Rika – Yes these municipalities have a maintenance budget but the monies are never used for what it was meant for. Where do you think their entertainment money comes from??????
Jan – no blog on the Post Office efficiency in Gonubie??
So the funds are available BUT will not be spent within the allocated budgetary period! Someone needs to lose their jobs over this. Tokyo Sexwale what’s that you said about perpetually suspending people? FIRE them NOW!
@ Blackbravo – I agree FIRE the whole lot of them. Try to phone KSD Mun any time of day – you’ll battle your ass off to get through. Otherwise they’ll tell you at 3pm that it’s tea time & to phone back in 10 min. You phone back in 20 min just to give them enough time to get back to their offices and you’re told that they can’t take calls now because they’re busy eating & refuse to take any calls whasoever. Then try paying monies into their trust account for them to allowcate to the right account. 6 months down the line that money’s still lying in the Trust account and has not even been moved or queried. I say fire the whole lot of them & employ competent staff who want to make a difference
Gavin and Teagan, Ex-Com has been raising important things since he came on this blog. Funny that you notice this when he talks about boycotting of rates. Wonder if you did the same with Tutu against apartheid.
I support whatever is going to change the lives and employed in fair and humane basis. The sacking of Faku is just another example. I therfore the ANC, not individuals like Cope members did.
Did you hear about Boesak quitting Cope? No need to tell you where he’s going. I told you that Cope was formed by disgruntled ANC members who are now coming back in numbers. I know that these developments don’t sit well with some of you. Some would want the ANC defeated by nicompoops who’ll sell the victories ANC has achieved.
That’s exactly what Boesak will not deny has…heheheheh!!
@Phumzo. You ask about blogging in support of “Tutu against apartheid”. Apartheid ended in 1994. Commercial internet is generally credited with being released in 1996 and blogging only came a few years afterwards. Do the maths.
I think our biggest mistake is to elect people who have a big mouth in our community meetings without taking into account their competency, and it must be an issue that comrades must be vocal about before the 2011 local governmet Elections
SA = Banana Republic
Eh, SA is a banana republic because of the sacking of a useless mayor? I wonder what SA was during the days of oppression. This Jack must be confused.
There are just people who will never agree with ANC even if it correcting the wrong. A person who disagrees with this decision must be sick given the state of this city.
Phumzo. SA = banana republic because of the state of Mthatha and the quick fixes for a visiting president.
The sacking of a useless mayor is a separate article and and a separate blog. Do try to keep up.
With Regard to November 3rds article i.e. Zuma visit prompts pothole cover-up!, i was suprised to notice that after the weekend Zuma was in Mthatha that some potholes were suddenly covered up after months. Being a rate payer in Mthatha, it almost brings one to tears to see the former capital on the old Transkei be left to rot. The roads are a mess. In the CBD itself and all residential areas, with potholes, faulty robots, no road markings and street lights not working. All these contribute to the large number of accidents that occur daily in Mthatha.I’ve paid thousands on car repairs due to the condition of the roads in Mthatha. Road mantainence in Mthatha is a Joke! In Fact, Mthatha is a Joke!
Onsite Now
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