6th December, 2008, Page 1 - Edition 200

The Midlands

HERALD

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Number 200 • December 2008 Tel. 033-330 6000 • Fax: 033-330 6950 • P.O. Box 1500, Howick, 3290 e-Mail: [email protected] • www.esnips.com/web/MidlandsHerald Proprietor and editor: Russell Barnes

Howick by-election too close to call A

n opinion poll conducted by NCRC, a Cape Town-based market research company, reveals that the DA and ANC are in a statistical dead heat in a Howick Ward 2 by-election. The by-election is due to take place on Wednesday 10th December 2008. The poll was conducted between 28th October and 26th November via telephonic surveys of randomly-selected voters in the ward, and factors in a margin of error of 6.8%. The poll takes into account the latest registration statistics and assumes turnout levels that occurred in Howick during the 2006 elections. Constituency MP Greg Krumbock of the DA commented to The Herald that the by-election was “likely to be decided by less than 50 votes and that victory would go to the party whose supporters wanted it most. “While the ACDP and the independent candidate have been forecast by NCRC to gain only 2.2% of the vote in total, this may be enough of a split in the opposition vote to play into the ANC’s hands, delivering to them an undeserved victory.” Local Howick DA Councillor Tim Lindsay-White told The Midlands Herald that he believes the DA has been a tough and effective opposition in Howick which has persistently and successfully fought for residents’ rights, and now asks Ward 2 voters for a mandate to continue these initiatives. Voting stations open at 7 am and are expected to close at 9 pm. Voters can cast their ballots at either the sportsfield in Bell Street or at Nogqaza Primary School.

NCRC OPINION POLL HOWICK WARD 2 BY-ELECTION ANC

DA POLL RESULTS ANC DA

48.4% 48.4%

ACDP

1.6%

OTHER

0.9%

INDEPENDENT 0.6%

ACDP OTHER

INDEPENDENT

uMngeni Speaker fails to release forensic report to Council Left: Forensic investigation still unreleased — by uMngeni council’s Speaker, Surya Pillay.

The forensic investigation report on the financial affairs of uMngeni Municipality has still not — almost a year after its completion — been released for public comment. The report is believed to be damning and clearly to implicate senior staff members of the municipality in fraudulent activities. In 2007 the minister of Local Government, Housing and Traditional Affairs, Mike Mabuyakhulu, authorised the enquiry in terms of Section 106 of the Local

8 000 copies

Government Municipal Systems Act, no. 32 of 2000. In a letter at the time, the minister stated that he as minister and his department would continue to make every effort to ensure that the municipality implements effective, efficient, transparent and accountable management and internal control systems in the interest of transparency and accountability in government. Vilakazi wanted enquiry into enquiry However, municipal manager Dumisani Vilakazi responded by immediately calling for an enquiry into the minister’s desire for a forensic investigation. Once the report was complete and handed over to the minister it exacted suspicion as

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to its contents when it remained, unreleased, in his own office for many months. Eventually according to protocol, it was handed over to uMngeni council’s Speaker Surya Pillay, with the instruction that she table it on Council’s agenda within 21 days. However, 121 days later she has still not acted on this instruction and has consistently maintained that she is seeking legal opinion. Ratepayers want to petition contents Residents of uMngeni, eager to see its contents, are now threatening to protest at the uMngeni Municipality offices, petitioning the MEC to ensure that his instructions, and recommendations in terms of the report, are carried out in the interests of transparent, accountable governance.

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