BAGQIGQA izithangami zokuqondiswa ubugwegwe abasebenzi bakaMasipala uMngeni, eHowick, emuva kokuthi bebanjwe bekokotele ugesi, bengawukhokheli. IMeya kaMasipala uMngeni, uMnuz Chris Pappas, ithe umasipala ubuqhuba uphenyo ngabasebenzi babo ngenhloso yokukhuculula “izipoki” okungase kwenzeke ukuthi ziyahola.
Kuvela ukuthi ithimba ebelenza uphenyo lethuke lagelekeqeka lithola ukuthi abasebenzi bakamasipala bakokotela ugesi. Kuthiwa umbiko ngalolu daba wenekelwe umkhandlu wamakhansela kwase kunqunywa ukuthi abathathelwe izinyathelo abenza lokhu.
UMasipala uMngeni yiwona wodwa KwaZulu-Natal ophethwe yi-DA eyawunqoba ngengcaca. Kumanje imeya yawo uPappas isematheni kubatshazwa amagalelo ayo yaze yaphakanyiselwa kwesikandunankulu wesifundazwe.
UPappas uthe umkhankaso wabo uhambisana nokubheka ama-akhawunti abasebenzi ukuthi bayazikhokhela ngendlela yini izidingo zabo kumasipala. Uthe bebengena umuzi nomuzi bebheka ukuthi ugesi uyakhokhelwa yini.
“Lokhu kuyimizamo yokwenyusa izinga lokungena kwemali nokwakha kabusha umasipala wethu futhi sibheka nezipoki zabasebenzi. Sibe sesiphenya konke, sangena nemizi ngemizi lapho esithole khona abangu-144 abakweleta umasipala. Sithathe izinyathelo ngokushesha. Bangu-14 kumanje abahamba izigcawu zokuqondiswa ubugwegwe,’’ kusho uPappas.
Uthe abanye abasebenzi bese beshintshe amakheli abo ngenhloso yokuthi bengabanjwa ukuthi bakokotele ugesi kodwa kwatholakala ukuthi basenga ezimithiyo.
UPappas uthe inkinga yokwebiwa kukagesi iwumise kabi umasipala ngoba ulahlekelwa wuR40 million njalo ngonyaka ngenxa yabantu abakokotela ugesi. Uthe bazoqhubeka nemikhankaso yabo yokunqamula ugesi kulabo abangakhokhi.
Uthe uhlelo lokuzwelana nalabo abangakwazi ukukhokha ngenxa yokuntula luyaqhubeka kodwa labo abanawo amandla bazobhekana nolaka lukamasipala uma bengathobeli umthetho.