Media Statement

For immediate releases

Circulation of fabricated fake messages 

ADM Headquarters, Wednesday 3rd March 

2021

Amathole District Municipality is shocked at the publication of the contents of clearly fabricated fake messages by the Daily Dispatch, which is falsely attributed to the Municipal Manager, Dr Thandekile Mnyimba. 

The clearly fictitious messages can be seen by everyone that they are a scam aimed at further tarnishing the image of not only the Municipal Manager but that of ADM as a whole.  It is visibly clear that the intention of the messages is to cause rift between ADM Council and Provincial Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs. 

That the Daily Dispatch publishes this propaganda without question and further interrogation is revealing of the nefariousness of its intention and the clear subjectivity of the journalist concerned as it relates to Amathole District Municipality. We have been observing the conduct of the newspaper for a while now and we are glad that they have now decided to reveal their ill intentions to the public. 

We want to place it on record that the Municipal Manager, Dr T Mnyimba did not issue such a message to Directors and that there is no push against the much-needed intervention into Amathole. We are happy with the fact that the Provincial Government will be able to see the ill-intentions of the messages. 

What is clear is that there is a War Room that has been established with the sole intention of producing injurious fake news, rumour mongering and spreading misinformation with the intention of causing instability in the District. Chief amongst this misinformation is the creation of an impression that Amathole District Municipality is against the Section 135 (5) (a) intervention by the Provincial Government when we are on record welcoming the intervention.

There are efforts to create a wedge between ADM Council and the Provincial Government using the fact that an intervention of this nature will always elicit varied opinions on the suitable manner that it can be implemented as an entry point. There are therefore clear wedge-drivers and the article of the Daily Dispatch makes us to question where the newspaper is located in the entire scenario because it is clearly not an outside observer. 

We want to assure the residents of Amathole that we are committed to delivering uninterrupted services to all the communities we serve, and we will defend this noble intention against any form of destruction. 

We will continue to work with both provincial and national spheres of government in a cordial manner as we know that they share our belief and mission of putting the people of Amathole first. We are fully committed to achieving a municipal financial turnaround which will accelerate service delivery to all the communities we serve.

*this statement must be attributed to the Executive Mayor of Amathole District Municipality Cllr Khanyile Maneli*

Issued by ADM Communications and Customer Care Unit, for any enquiries contact ADM Spokesperson Nonceba Madikizela-Vuso at 0824190161 or WhatsApp 083 516 9122