by 013NEWS Reporter | Nov 30, 2018 | Politics
He was recalled on 18 March 2018 but had since refused to leave the post.
The DA has accused Lekwa mayor Linda Dhlamini of holding the local municipality hostage after he brought in his supporters to come disrupt a council sitting.
In a video doing the rounds on the social media, the SANCO members are seen singing and chanting struggle songs, bringing the house into a halt.
The incident happened on 20 November 2018 at the municipal office in Standerton where the DA’s Tornado Nkambule was bringing a debate for a motion of no confidence against the controversial mayor.
The sitting had to be suspended by the speaker.
Mpumalanga DA shadow co-operative MEC James Masango said after the disruption of council, Dhlamini led a group of people carrying dangerous weapons who went to the speaker’s office, damaging municipal properties.
SEE ALSO: Lekwa municipal manager Linda Tshabalala term ends
Dhlamini, who is at loggerhead with ANC regional leader Muzi Chirwa, was recalled early this year by the ANC in the Gert Sibande region but has clung on his position.
The ANC wants him to leave the post and be replaced by regional treasurer Khosi Khota because of an “impasse” in the municipality “which affects service delivery” but Dhlamini supporters say the man is going nowhere.
ALSO RELATED: Lindiwe Ntshalintshali says decision against Linda Dhlamini stands
Masango said the ANC councillors who are an overwhelming majority in the council had agreed on a secret ballot.
“Service delivery in Lekwa is virtually non-existent as this municipality is not only failing to pay Eskom and the Rand Water board but it has also allowed raw sewage for flow unabated through the streets, around people’s homes and into the Vaal River for many years,” Masango said.
Lekwa is one of the five municipalities that Premier Refilwe Mtshweni last month announced had been placed under financial rescue by the provincial government.
The DA wants disciplinary actions against the mayor.
(edited by ZK)
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by 013NEWS Reporter | Oct 19, 2018 | Politics
They say all they will do now is concentrate on preparations for next year’s elections.
The Mpumalanga ANC has postponed their PGC to after the 2019 general elections, acting secretary Lindiwe Ntshalintshali has confirmed.
She said now they are busy preparing for next year’s elections.
SEE ALSO: PRET to campaign for ANC, wants 2019 “overwhelming victory”
Ntshalintshali said they are following a communication by national secretary Ace Magashule.
“The letter from the secretary reaffirming an NEC decision says we should concentrate on elections,” she said.
She said the NEC early this year had put “timelines” for provinces to hold congresses and provincial general council “and later on said Mpumalanga should no longer. You will do it next year,” said Ntshalintshali said.
She added for now they are concentrating on preparing for elections.
The date of the 2019 general elections will be announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Constitutionally, the elections should be called any time between 8 May and 7 August 2019.
The current term ends on 8 May 2019 and the IEC will then have a time frame of 90 days to hold elections, and the date will be chosen by Ramaphosa falling within this 90 days window.
(edited by ZK)
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by 013NEWS Reporter | Feb 1, 2018 | News
eMalahleni residents woke up to gloomy news of abduction of the two children.
KINGDOM MABUZA
eMalahleni mayor Lindiwe Ntshalintshali is speechless at the unfortunate episode against the most ostracised and vulnerable group in society after the kidnapping of a child with albinism in the township of Hlalanikahle and another, mistaken to also be an albino.
Gabisile Shabane (13) and 15 month old Nkosikhona Ngwenya were abducted on Sunday morning (28 Jan 2018) and cops are appealing to anybody with information to come forward.
RELATED: Witbank mom cries safety of kidnapped daughter (13)
Gabisile is living with albinism and it is suspected that the three men who broke into their home on the Sunday night, also targeted Nkosikhona, whom they mistook for another baby who also lives with albinism in the family.
“Cases of kidnapping of people living with albinism are rife in Tanzania, and lately in KwaZulu Natal and there has been a surge of cases of kidnapping in general here in eMalahleni,” Ntshalintshali said.
“But we suspect that the kidnapping of these two children is related to superstitious belief,” she said.
Nkosikhona Ngwenya
“I hope that police will apprehend those behind the kidnapping.
“There has been stories of people living with albinism being murdered for their body parts and these children have a right to life like any other child,” the mayor said on Wednesday this week.
“The false belief that their body parts have extraordinary powers must be eradicated, albinism is a genetically inherited condition,” said Ntshalintshali.
*Mabuza is the communication manager in the mayor’s office.
by 013NEWS Reporter | Oct 31, 2017 | Business
Described as world-class, it was built by both the Mpumalanga government and mining company South32.
KINGDOM MABUZA
The world class academy has a state of the art broadcasting studio which will enable 101 schools around the province to interact with their teachers.
It was officially unveiled on Friday by eMalahleni mayor Lindiwe Ntshalintshali and Education MEC Reginah Mhaule and is known as OR Tambo Mathematics, Science and Technology Academy.
The centre is situated near Highveld Mall in Emalahleni.
The academy was handed over to the department of education on 3 October 2017 by mining company South 32 and it was decided that on the birthday of OR Tambo – 27 October – the academy would be officially unveiled and named after him.
Ntshalintshali praised the private sector for partnering with government in realising a dream of building a centre which will make it possible for children to specialise in mathematics and science.
SEE ALSO: R100 million maths academy unveiled in eMalahleni
“There is a big need for this academy which will assist to develop and produce skills related to mathematics and science.”
Ntshalintshali was proud that the academy is located in eMalahleni, an energy hub of the country.
“We have power stations which produce energy for the country and it is appropriate that the academy is here in eMalahleni,” she said.
She lauded OR Tambo for his role in the struggle against oppression and his role as a mathematics teacher.
“Our children must make use of this facility to change their lives and those of their families,” she said.
*Mabuza works in the mayor’s office as the communication officer.
by 013NEWS Reporter | Oct 4, 2017 | Politics
Documents of how she splurged R2.1 million in 29 days amid the municipality’s financial crisis appeared this week.
eMalahleni mayor Lindiwe Ntshalintshali’s troubles are far from over.
Now the DA is heading to the Auditor-General to ask him to investigate R21 million that was spent on a company called Track Optimum International between 4 October and 2 November 2016 to protect her private residence in Phola, at R64 350 00 of tax payers’ money per day.
This is during the time when municipal manager Theo van Vuuren and Ntshalintshali were making news – for channelling service delivery money towards the purchase a Lexus SUV for Ntshalintshali.
Van Vuuren also created controversy after he splurged R20 million for 20 bodyguards to protect him and other senior staff in 2013.
The owner of the company said to have supplied Van Vurren with bodyguards in 2013 – Verne Clark – is the same guy at the centre of the new Ntshalintshali controversy.
SEE ALSO: Sedibe says eMalahleni potholes are due ‘corruption’ of Mswati, Lindiwe Ntshalintshali
Verne Clark owns Track Optimum International.
“Both Mr Van Vuuren and councillor Ntshalintshali have brought nothing but misery and gross financial mismanagement to eMalahleni,” the DA’s Dumisile Masuku said.
“Van Vuuren has left eMalahleni municipality technically bankrupt and his departure should be followed by that of mayor Ntshalintshali. It is time that eMalahleni gets new administration that will put the best interest of the residents first,” Masuku said.
But Ntshalintshali said she is not responsible for the awarding of tenders in the municipality.
Through her spokesperson, Kingdom Mabuza, the mayor said: ” Tenders are awarded by officials after following supply chain processes.
“The said company, Track Optimum International, was appointed last year in September, after some community members at Phola forcefully and violently occupied houses which were built by South 32 mine.
“The houses were supposed to be allocated to beneficiaries as per the housing list, but the mob wanted that housing waiting list to be disregarded.
“The mob resorted to attacking a municipal building and fire station with petrol bombs,” Mabuza said.
“They then proceeded in a march to the home of the mayor and councillors whose homes are in Phola. The street leading to the home of the mayor was blocked with burning tyres, waste bins, and stones were thrown and the Directorate Community Services, after consulting SAPS and Intelligence officials, found it imperative to appoint a specialised VIP Security Service to protect the executive mayor’s home, councillors’ homes in the area and the municipal building, on an emergency basis. Track Optimum International was then appointed in terms of section 36 of the Local Government, Municipal Finance Management Regulations,” he said.
(edited by ZK)
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