The bank account of the IFP-led Uthukela District Municipality in Ladysmith, northern KwaZulu-Natal, has been attached following a court order obtained by a service provider owed millions for work rendered.
The attachment was made public by Councillor Thys Janse van Rensburg, who revealed that a High Court settlement in October 2025 required the municipality to pay RASP Consulting R3 million.
Van Rensburg said that despite the municipality having an available balance of approximately R12 million in December 2025, Municipal Manager Langelihle Jili, as the accounting officer, failed to effect payment.
“Despite bank statements clearly showing an available balance of approximately R12 million in December 2025, the first R3 million instalment under the October 2025 High Court settlement was not paid.
“This failure activated the attachment of the bank account, as well as an acceleration clause adding an estimated R31 million in interest costs – a devastating blow to our already strained finances,” Rensburg claimed.
It is not clear what work was conducted by RASP Consultants for the municipality. However, it is worth noting that the company is servicing the water sector.
Van Rensburg claimed that attempts by councillors to suspend Jili failed as he was shielded by the Speaker, Lihle Nqubuka.
“During a special council meeting held yesterday, councillors tabled a motion to suspend the Municipal Manager pending a full investigation. The IFP Speaker ruled the meeting in-committee, closing it to public scrutiny.
“The DA firmly believes that voters’ right to transparency far outweighs the IFP’s apparent preference for secrecy on matters of public money and governance in uThukela. The MM was required to explain these lapses to the council, including how he discharged his duties as Accounting Officer under the Municipal Finance Management Act. Shockingly, Jili did not answer a single question posed by councillors as he enjoyed the protection of the Speaker and IFP councillors,” he said.
He added that the IFP collapsed the meeting by staging a walkout.
“Worse still, the Speaker then permitted the IFP to caucus mid-proceedings – to walk out, deliberately collapsing the quorum. This action is unlawful and contravenes established SALGA guidelines and judicial precedent, which prohibit walkouts designed to frustrate council business and undermine democratic decision-making,” he added.
The municipality is yet to comment on the matter.
