DURBAN - uMngeni Local Municipality mayor Chris Pappas has been applauded for the way he has handled rebuilding the municipality after storms and heavy rainfall left a trail of destruction.
On his Twitter page, Pappas posted two photographs of him addressing a community which falls under the municipality.
In the post, Pappas said: “Following the devastating storms in the KZN Midlands we have been visiting affected communities assessing the damage and providing relief. We have also been helped by community organisations for which we are grateful.”
Following the devastating storms in the KZN Midlands we have been visiting affected communities assessing the damage and providing relief. We have also been helped by community organizations for which we are grateful. pic.twitter.com/hgIOcju7tm
— Christopher Pappas (@MayorPappas) January 8, 2022
Despite a few commenting on why he was standing far from the community, a lot of Twitter users who replied to his tweet applauded him and said he deserved higher positions in KwaZulu-Natal and South Africa.
@Bhodluphuthu: “My mayor, from a proud Mpophomenian. We just want a working and caring local government. Voting according to race is the thing of the past in uMngeni.”
@DJBanger6: “This mayor Christopher Pappas is going to be the best mayor KZN has ever seen in the last 30 years. In just a few months you can see the great improvements of Natal Midlands. Keep up the fantastic work”
This mayor Christopher Pappas is going to be the best mayor KZN has ever seen in the last 30 years. In just a few months you can see the great improvements of Natal midlands. Keep up the fantastic work
— DJBanger (@DJBanger6) January 9, 2022
@tebohoreginald: “The fact that I know you address them in isiZulu makes me so happy. Keep up the good work, mayor.”
@Kingphaahla2: “Pappas deserve to be premier of KZN klaar, Sihle must step down”
@MatlharhiB: “Thank you leadership. If you contest to be president you're guaranteed my vote. We need young, fresh and energetic blood like yourself. Keep doing an exceptional job. I'm proud of you, mayor Pappas. This country desperately needs your likes.”
Thank You Leadership 👌🏽. If you contest to be President you're guaranteed my vote 🗳. We need young, fresh & energetic blood like yourself. Keep doing the exceptional job. I'm proud of you Mayor Pappas 👏 ❤ 💙 💓. This country 🇿🇦 desperately need your likes.
— Ntlakuso Max Baloyi 🇿🇦 (@MatlharhiB) January 9, 2022
@Sanebutnot: “The community, all of them, are fully supporting him. It can only be a win-win situation. It will be interesting to see if ANC gov. assist with requests for emergency aid as they have for Pietermaritzburg. Howick is a small council but the flooding was horrendous.”
@mfana0122: “If you continue like this we might even make you our president”
@THATONZI: “Instead of focusing on what was said, ya’ll in the comments chose to question why he was standing far?!? He obviously wants everyone to see him, there isn't a platform such as a stage hence him being in that position and remember covid? Yeah, she's still on her world tour.”
@PaulCele4: “well done Mayor for the good job our people have been waiting for this unconditional services for years”
This is what being a Mayor looks like 👇🏾👇🏾 being on the ground, talking to communities.@MYANC need armed body guards,motorcades and they make LARGE billboards with their faces so that you see their faces 10 times between town and your home 🤒🤦🏾♀️.@JJTabane @eNCA @EFFSouthAfrica pic.twitter.com/VArUaDF0Z3
— Sbusiso Molefe (@spononomolefe) January 9, 2022
The municipality had decided to write to the national government requesting the area to be declared a local disaster and applying to KwaZulu-Natal premier Sihle Zikalala for financial assistance to deal with the disaster.
Pappas said: “The uMngeni Municipality has taken the decision to write to the national government requesting the area to be declared a local disaster.”
“In addition to the declaration of a state of disaster we will be applying to the premier of KwaZulu-Natal seeking financial assistance to deal with the disaster.”
Pappas said the damages caused thus far ran into tens of millions of rand.
Daily News