Changes in top DA structure for George

Months of municipal chaos leads to councillors moving, mayoral courses

WHOLESALE changes have been made to the top structure of the DA-led George municipality, where chaos has prevailed in the past year. Most notably, senior councillors are being swopped around, others have been relegated to lower positions, while mayor Melvin Naik now has to go on courses to improve his leadership and management skills.

Western Cape Local Government MEC Anton Bredell visited George at the weekend to break the news to those affected.

A subcommittee was appointed by the DA’s federal executive to investigate matters in the municipality.

This follows increasing complaints over the past year that infighting among councillors and the conduct of DA councillors is having an effect on service delivery and tarnishing the party’s image.

Mercia Draghoender and Belrina Cornelius will be replaced on the mayoral committee.

Gert Niehaus and Johan Stander, the two councillors whose fight about a parking bay at the municipality had escalated into a court case – will also be replaced on the 12-member mayoral committee.

In a note to the councillors, Bredell, who is also the DA Western Cape chairperson, said their replacements’ names must be submitted by the provincial executive to the federal executive for approval.

A new caucus chairperson must also be TUESDAY DECEMBER 19 2017 elected as soon as the council resumes after the Christmas recess. Naik will also have to undergo leadership, management and conflict resolution programmes, and he is to be monitored by Bredell.

Council speaker Iona Kritzinger and chief whip Michael Nyakati will now be part of the mayoral committee, while the names of councillors to replace them as speaker and chief whip will be forwarded to the national executive by the provincial leadership. DA George constituency head Tertius Simmers will be replaced by an MP or MPL “who is less involved in the caucus’s affairs”.

Simmers is an MPL in the Western Cape Legislature, but previously held a position in the George mayoral committee.

It has also been recommended that claims of irregular staff appointments and incorrect appointments in the Expanded Public Works Programme be investigated. Other municipal issues which relate to office space and issues with hospital group MediClinic are to be referred to Bredell for investigation.

Bredell said the party’s federal legal commission would also complete its disciplinary action against members of the George caucus.

All councillors, including the mayor, speaker and chief whip, have been ordered to undergo training on caucus rules, council rules, the code of conduct, and the responsibilities and duties of a councillor.

Bredell said the provincial executive had also been requested to consider the appointment of an administrator to oversee compliance with the orders.