Akachithanga sikhathi uMeya omusha waKwaDukuza, uKhansela Sduduzo Gumede, njengoba ngaphakathi kwezinsuku ezimbalwa engene esikhundleni ehlanganise umhlangano wobuholi obuphezulu kuMasipala ukuze kudingidwe amasu okuqinisa ukulethwa kwezinsiza emphakathini.

Lomhlangano obalulekile ubusekelwe yizithembiso azenze ngesikhathi efungiswa ekupheleni kwenyanga edlule eTown Hall yaseKwaDukuza, lapho aqokelwa khona njengomholi omusha ngemva kokwesula esikhundleni kowayiMeya yangaphambilini uMnuz Ali Ngidi kanye nosekela wakhe uMnuz Njabulo Cele, abahoxisiwe ngenxa yezinsolo zokusetshenziswa kabi kwezimali zikaMasipala ezihlobene nezimoto zikahulumeni kanye nezindleko zokuphepha.

UGumede (62), oneminyaka engaphezu kwengu-15 yesipiliyoni kulomsebenzi wake waba yiMeya yaKwaDukuza (1998–2008) futhi waphinde wahola iLembe (2016–2021), ngesikhathi esaziwa ngokuphendula isifunda iLembe ukusuka ekubeni seduze kokuqothuka kwezimali, kwaze kwahlonishwa njengeMasipala ohamba phambili KwaZulu-Natal ngo-2018.

Ekhuluma emhlanganweni wakhe wokuqala wobuholi kuleli sonto, uGumede ugcizelele ukubaluleka kokuletha izixazululo ezisheshayo, ikakhulukazi ekubhekaneni nokwehluleka kwezinsizakalo, imigwaqo enezimbobo, ukulahleka kukagesi kanye nokuphathwa kabi kwemfucuza. Uthe afisa ukukwenza ukubuyisela ukwethenjwa umphakathi kukaMasipala.

“Umsebenzi wethu awuwona amazwi noma izifungo kuphela, kodwa izibopho eziyinqaba zokuphila izimpilo zabantu ngendlela engcono,” kusho uGumede.

Izikhulu zikaMasipala ziveze ukuzibophezela kwazo ngokuphelele ekusebenzisaneni noMeya omusha ukuze kuthuthukiswe ukusebenza kahle. Abaholi bezombusazwe baphinde bamhalalisela, beqinisekisa ukuthi kulindeleke ukuba aqinise ukuzwana phakathi kwamacala ahlukene esishayamthetho.

Isikhundla sikasekela Meya sisaqhubeka singenamuntu, kanti uNkk Dolly Govender usaqhubeka njengosomlomo weKhomishini.

UGumede uqinisekise ukuthi umnyango wakhe uzohlala uvulekile kunoma yimuphi umuntu noma iziphathimandla ezinemibono ezosiza ukuhambisa phambili intuthuko yaKwaDukuza.