More parties want Matika’s head to roll
MORE opposition parties have entered the fray calling for the removal of Sol Plaatje executive mayor Mangaliso Matika from office, while the city braces for another shutdown this week.
Community members have vowed to continue with protest action until the mayor is removed.
DA chief whip at Sol Plaatje Municipality, Christopher Phiri, stated that the acting Speaker had telephonically granted their request for an urgent special council meeting to go ahead today at 10am.
“We are hoping that this meeting can take place before the shutdown so that pressure can be placed to remove the mayor. We would like to prevent another shutdown as the economy, schooling and day-to-day operations are suffering. If there is a shutdown, it will make it difficult for councillors to access the chambers. We believe that the majority of councillors will support the motion to remove the mayor,” said Phiri.
He added that there were lastminute attempts by council to prevent a shutdown.
“All chief whips were called to a meeting at 5pm this afternoon (yesterday).”
Manager in the Office of the Mayor, George Mosimane, was, however, only aware of an ordinary council meeting that was scheduled for August 1.
EFF councillor Ipeleng Millicent Pholoholo on Monday requested the acting Speaker at Sol Plaatje Municipality to convene a meeting to call for a vote of no confidence in the mayor but by yesterday was still waiting for a response from council.
Pholoholo listed among the items to be discussed the R260 electricity surcharge and the appointment of the acting municipal manager without the knowledge of council.
“The acting municipal manager was unilaterally appointed by the mayor without consulting the municipal regulations.”
Cope national chairperson Pakes Dikgetsi said that the authorities had chosen to allow the city to burn, rather than sacrifice Matika
“The overwhelming majority do not want Matika. The people have lost faith in the mayor and the rest of the mayoral committee. The ANC continues to protect those who are failing to clean up the city while it is being plunged into chaos. That is why people are taking the law into their own hands.”
He recommended that former mayors, such as David Molusi or Solly Legodi, be called in to bring stability and order to the municipality.
“Matika should have left a long time ago. He was never the right person for the job. He was appointed by a powerful faction in the ANC purely because he is considered to be a useful tool to control the resources of the municipality.
“The mayor and councillors should be elected by the people to serve in council.”
Freedom Front Plus provincial leader Wynand Boshoff pointed out that the revised electricity tariffs without the basic R260 surcharge was not sustainable.
“The city cannot afford the tariff which is demanded. Officials can also not be fired before they have been found guilty. This, while Sol Plaatje is one of two municipalities in the Northern Cape which can pay its accounts and operates in accordance with all relevant laws.
The question is whether problems can be solved if the impossible is demanded. Or do we deal with a war within the ANC, where tariffs and people are simply hand grenades that are being hurled around?”