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The Democratic Alliance in eThekwini congratulates Councillor Fawzia Peer on her appointment as the city’s Acting Mayor. We have today written to Peer to express our best wishes and outline what we believe are pressing matters that need to be addressed in the next month.

We will work with Councillor Peer insofar as her plans and leadership serve the best interests of the people of Durban. We urge her to put the debilitating current politics of the ANC aside and focus on delivering services.

We believe that there are two priority issues that need to be addressed within the next 30 days:

The first is the backlog of City Integrity and Investigation Unit (CIIU) reports that have piled up in various departments across the municipality. If the city is to get a hold on the rampant corruption and wrongdoing that has become a part of everyday life, it must immediately start to institute steps to hold people accountable.

A system with which these reports can be tracked, from initiation to completion, is vital. The public and councillors must be able to see what is being investigated and how long it takes. The 371 outstanding reports in the City Manager’s office should be the first place Councillor Peer demands action.

The second is reviving the delivery of quality basic services. It’s simply unacceptable that residents are deprived of essential services like refuse removal because of issues like contractors not being paid. Put simply, people are fed up of eThekwini Municipality being unable to do its job. Councillor Peer needs to make changes in this regard as soon as possible.

The DA reiterates it’s call for the firing of Mayor Zandile Gumede. It’s her poor leadership and corrupt behavior that has led eThekwini into this mess, and her paid 30-day holiday from work doesn’t help anyone but the ANC.

For Councillor Peer to turn this ship around, she urgently needs to focus on these two areas. If she does, she will have our full support and co-operation.

Issued by The DA