Notices for special council meeting issued

NOTICES for next week’s special council meeting were sent via SMS yesterday afternoon, although some Sol Plaatje Municipality councillors had indicated that the meeting was illegal.

The MEC for Co-operative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (Cohgsta), Bentley Vass, on Tuesday instructed the acting Speaker, Ben Springbok, to convene a special council meeting on October 16 to extend the contracts of the acting municipal manager, acting chief financial officer and discuss the implications of the lack of political oversight.

Messages sent by councillors stated that the municipality had the right to exercise its own legislative authority, without improper interference.

“Therefore only council can convene a meeting. Coghsta cannot interfere with the running of the municipality. Legally the council meeting called by Coghsta and its agenda is illegal.”

Other councillors indicated that it was in the best interests of the community to call the meeting.

Another councillor added that the request from Vass was only a request. “The acting Speaker can comply or refuse but the MEC is not forcing it. However, if a meeting is not convened, anything can happen because the masses have started to lead themselves and a vacuum has been created between us and the masses.”

DA provincial leader, Andrew Louw, believed that it was time for the MEC to urgently intervene in the leaderless organisation.

“Since the last chaotic council meeting on September 28, our councillors have not received any official correspondence regarding the next scheduled meeting.

“The Office of the Speaker has collapsed due to the termination of the contracts of office workers.”

He added that the dissatisfaction of the community was escalating due to political infighting.

Residents are also demanding that the report on the Section 106 investigation into irregularities at Sol Plaatje municipality be made public by tomorrow.