Ladysmith - The IFP-run uThukela district municipality which is anchored in Ladysmith in north-western KwaZulu-Natal has opened a case of arson with the police following last week’s fire inside its offices.
The fire gutted the municipality’s filing room where critical official records are stored for long-term reference purposes.
The building was torched in broad daylight while the municipal manager, Bongani Mnguni was addressing Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (Imatu) affiliated employees who had decided not to join a strike by the South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) affiliated workers within the municipality.
The non-striking Imatu employees reportedly assisted in putting out the fire before it could spread to other offices.
It is not clear why the suspect was not recorded by CCTV cameras monitoring the building 24/7.
A source told IOL on Thursday that after the incident, a case was opened with the SAPS in Ladysmith and the net is now closing in on the suspects.
“Leaders of the municipality believe that arrests are imminent as there are some people who are being closely monitored as suspects.
“It has become clear that the fire was orchestrated from within the municipality and by someone who knows every corner of the building,” the source told IOL.
Furthermore, it is suspected that the arsonist was trying to destroy incriminating evidence in the embattled municipality.
The IFP came to power in November 2021 when the municipality was already under administration.
The KwaZulu-Natal provincial government decided to place it under administration after persistent reports of massive financial mismanagement.
Among the matters that were allegedly not handled within municipal laws was the provision of water.
The district municipality hired water tankers to provide water to its communities following the collapse of its water infrastructure.
The tenders for the provision of water tankers were allegedly mired in irregularities where some companies were allegedly overpaid and others were paid for water that was never delivered.
Mnguni confirmed when prodded by IOL on Thursday that they reported the matter to the police so that the puzzle around the fire could be solved.
However, Mnguni would not be drawn to comment on the allegations that the suspects are believed to be within their ranks.
The SAPS media centre in KwaZulu-Natal was yet to confirm that indeed the case was opened with their Ladysmith operations.
sihle.mavuso@inl.co.za
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