ANC broke our town. It can’t fix it
Makana asks court to dissolve the council that has been its ruin
President Cyril Ramaphosa told a Freedom Day rally in the stricken Makana municipality (formerly Grahamstown) that he and the "new" ANC would turn things around after the elections. Richard Gaybba, chair of the Grahamstown Business Forum, doesn't believe it. "I don't believe in Father Christmas or the Easter Bunny, so I think that's one stretch too far for me." Makana is one of 87 "dysfunctional" municipalities named by the government, and Gaybba says the ANC, which runs it, has been central to its almost total collapse. Ramaphosa said the ANC had brought water, sanitation and electricity to millions. But Gaybba points out that in Makana, these and other critical services have been almost nonexistent for years. He says cadre deployment, incompetence and corruption have almost destroyed what used to be a thriving, successful municipality - and the regional ANC has consistently intervened to prevent corrective action. Makana's residents, businesses and famous educational and cultural ...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.