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The DA in KwaZulu-Natal has called for an urgent meeting with Premier, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, as the lack of service delivery within eThekwini Municipality reaches crisis levels.

This, as the province’s only metro enters its third week of violent strike action with basic municipal services severely affected.

The situation is now critical as anarchy reigns. This amid outages of both water and electricity that have lasted ten days or more, with reports of sabotage and vandalism of municipal property.

Then there are the threats of intimidation and violence against workers reporting for duty. Refuse has also not been collected, posing a growing and very serious risk in terms of health hazards.

It is clear that eThekwini’s ANC-run council is unable to deal with the strike. As in the case of our province’s ongoing water crisis, it is causing massive harm to KZN’s economy, its residents and to councillors - and it must be stopped.

The DA has made numerous attempts to compel the ANC-run council to act on behalf of the municipality’s residents. Meanwhile, Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda and his senior management have largely been missing in action.

Intervention from the Premier and her cabinet is way overdue. It is now imperative that they bring an end to the dire circumstances facing KZN’s vital metro.

KZN’s people have already endured too much suffering under an incompetent ANC-run government. On 29 May they will have the opportunity to rescue our province when they go to the polls and vote for a new government – one that prioritises their right to basic services.

Issued by Francois Rodgers, MPL - Leader of the DA in the KZN Legislature