Xolile Mtembu|Published
The gloves came off as the DA and EFF went head-to-head over eThekwini’s failures, missed opportunities and the question of who should take responsibility for a city battling a growing list of service delivery problems.
The political tension unfolded during the IOL eThekwini Town Hall Debate, where the state of Durban and the municipality’s future took centre stage ahead of the November 4 local government elections.
DA representative Alicia Kissoon pushed back against the suggestion that her party should shoulder responsibility for the municipality’s problems, arguing that opposition parties had been holding the coalition government accountable for its decisions.
Kissoon pointed to the composition of the executive committee (EXCO), arguing that the DA did not hold any chairperson positions, while the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and African National Congress (ANC) held key positions.
"The fact is that EXCO is made up of majority groups. The DA does not hold any chairperson positions in the meeting. In fact, the IFP, the EFF and the ANC hold those positions," she said.
She explained that different parties were responsible for overseeing key portfolios, including infrastructure, transport, informal settlements and finance.
Kissoon said the DA had consistently challenged decisions it believed were wrong, including taking matters to court when necessary.
"Being in opposition is something that you are to hold accountable. That's what we've been doing consistently. Holding the coalitions accountable for the decisions they make, putting up our hands and saying this is wrong," she said.
‘Are you just doing this to get votes?’
Hlengiwe Mkhaliphi took aim at the DA, questioning its record in Cape Town while challenging the party’s promises to fix eThekwini.
Mkhaliphi confronted Kissoon over what she described as failures to improve the lives of residents in Cape Town, arguing that the party could not present itself as a saviour for Durban while communities in the Western Cape continued to struggle.
"Madam, all those things that you are saying you are going to do here in eThekwini, why are you failing to do them in Cape Town? People in Dunoon, Khayelitsha and KwaNanga are living like pigs in Cape Town. So why are you coming here to tell us that you are going to be a messiah of sorts when you take over eThekwini?" Mkhaliphi said.
Her remarks challenged the DA to explain why voters in eThekwini should trust it to deliver better services when, according to her, residents in Cape Town continued to face poor living conditions.
Mkhaliphi also questioned whether the DA was selective about the communities it prioritised, suggesting that its promises to eThekwini residents were politically motivated.
"Are you saying that you are selective in terms of servicing people? Are you saying that those people of Cape Town, especially the black majority, are not as important as the people of eThekwini? Or are you saying this just to get votes?" she asked.
DA challenges EFF over informal settlements portfolio and budget accountability
Kissoon also pushed back against Mkhaliphi's criticism of the DA’s record in Cape Town, arguing that the debate should focus on eThekwini and the EFF’s own responsibilities within the municipality.
She questioned the EFF’s handling of the Informal Settlements Portfolio, pointing to the number of informal settlements in eThekwini and challenging the party to account for its role in municipal decision-making.
"It's confusing that we talk about other areas. The case of the Cape Town budget is put towards making the lives of other people better later. But let us talk about eThekwini and bring it back here. The fact is that the EFF is holding the portfolio of informal settlements, but yet we have over 600 here," Kissoon said.
Drawing on her five years in council, Kissoon challenged the EFF to demonstrate how it had opposed budgets or raised concerns through the municipality’s committee structures.
"I've been sitting in council for five years. I'd like to see where the EFF did not vote against the budget or challenge any of the issues at hand, especially when it affected the people concerned. When the budget is passed, you don't fight when the budget is passed. You fight in your committees before that. That should be common knowledge," she said.
EFF hits back over DA’s budget criticism
Mkhaliphi hit back at the DA’s criticism of its record on budget accountability, accusing the party of opposing the insourcing of workers during the previous council.
She argued that the DA’s position had consequences for security guards and other workers who stood to benefit from being employed directly by the municipality.
"If you know that you are the only political party that fought against the insourcing of workers in the last council, you are saying to our fathers and brothers who are security guards that they must not benefit from being insourced. Must they remain slaves forever?” she said.
The EFF representative accused the DA of denying workers the opportunity to benefit from more secure employment, questioning whether the party expected them to continue working under the same conditions indefinitely.
"Is this what we are bringing as the DA? They must work until they die," she said.
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