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ActionSA notes reports relating to the suspension of eThekwini Municipality’s Head of Supply Chain Management, Andrew Petersen, after failing to execute his duties diligently.

We believe that this action emanates from our initiation of our legal proceedings to hold the city to account for its failure to timeously act to repair water infrastructure which has resulted in myriad problems that now grip the beleaguered metro.

It has come to light that Andrew Peterson, who is one of the longest-serving officials in the unit, had failed to promptly approve tenders for goods and services, which has resulted in backlog and delays in rudimentary service delivery. 

Supply Chain is the unit that drives the procurement of goods and services, however, it has been revealed that he is responsible for sewer pipes not being swiftly repaired, as contracts to start all repairs were not issued, causing residential areas, rivers and beaches to be polluted and people’s homes, rivers and beaches to be overrun with untreated effluent. 

The eThekwini Municipality has failed to repair and renew damaged sanitation infrastructure caused by the April floods this year, which has consequently led to numerous issues that affect areas in and around the Municipality.

However, while addressing delegates at the opening of the Oceans Mall in Mhlanga last week, City Mayor, Mxolisi Kaunda, assured that the city was working around the clock to ensure that all beaches will be open to by 1 December, reassuring residents that all plans are in motion.

Now hit with labour issues resulting in a strike of municipal employees, directly impacting water and sanitation, and putting a halt on efforts to repair pump stations before the deadline, we request that the Municipality be transparent with members of the public.

We hope that the Municipality will not simply scapegoat Petersen and use this as an excuse for why repairs cannot be completed on time as promised. 

The spokesperson for the Municipality, Msawakhe Mavisela’s comment in an interview with Independent Online (IOL), reassured that the suspension of Andrew Peterson is not going to compromise service delivery as the Supply Chain unit is a “well-oiled machine” that does not depend on an individual. 

This leaves the question of, if the unit can perform without the presence of its Head, what is the reason for it to have not performed its constitutional obligations for the past 7 months?

Surely the Council has been aware of the ongoing concerns, and if Petersen was not performing adequately, Council should have demanded that he perform his duties, or call on him to account for why there were difficulties in procuring goods and services in this regard. 

We appeal that the Municipality comes clean about the issues it is facing, and the effect it has on the possible prolonging of  infrastructure issues that hve been allowed to continue for 7 months.

ActionSA will not take its foot off the gas and will continue the fight to ensure that the issue is resolved.

Issued by ActionSA