Acting troika elected mainstay by majority vote

The upheaval from the council and community due to the illegal appointment of the Msukaligwa Local Municipality acting troika has ruffled a myriad of feathers. Under cloak and dagger, however, it had been announced that the municipal council fully elected the troika. Ironically, the same acting members that have received stiff opposition has now been elected by unanimous vote, according to a source. It has been announced that the acting trio is now fully at the helm.

Cllr Xaba has been elected as speaker, Cllr MP Nkosi has been elected as executive mayor, and Cllr PC Sibeko has been elected as chief whip. According to the municipality, 34 out of the 38 councillors voted in favor of the appointments. The response from the community has been wholly divided, where some congratulated the appointed members. However, other members of the community vented their frustration, and allegations of insufficient educational qualifications have also once again surfaced. The announcement of the troika comes at a most inauspicious time, as the result of the High Court case is expected to be received this week, after it was postponed due to outstanding documentation.

Speaking to Mandla Zwane, municipal spokesman, he confirmed that the decisions taken by the current troika, such as the budget presentation and other expenditure decisions, will remain in place until such a time that the court case is settled. Upon enquiry if the mayoral chain featured on the photo is the one that had been alleged as being missing in action, the municipality stated that the chain was used for photography and inauguration purposes, and that it is not the chain of Msukaligwa Local Municipality.

The Tribune also requested the final budget figures from the municipality as implemented during the budget layout meeting. To date, the municipality has failed to produce the budget documentation.