DA to boycott council meeting — Bhanga
● Budget developed without proper consultation, says provincial party leader
The DA has said it will boycott Nelson Mandela Bay’s first virtual special council meeting tomorrow, where the draft budget for the 2020/2021 financial year will be up for discussion.
Eastern Cape DA leader and Bay councillor Nqaba Bhanga revealed the party’s decision during a media conference where the party discussed its economic recovery plan for the city.
“The DA will not participate in the meeting convened for Friday,” he said.
“There has been no proper consultation on the process of the budget. It has just been developed without us being engaged,” he said.
The DA occupies 57 seats in the 120-seat council, while 61 votes are needed to pass a budget.
It is unclear if the ACDP, COPE and UDM — which are not members of the coalition government and have a combined four council seats — would attend tomorrow’s sitting.
“The convening of this meeting has not been agreed to by the whippery.
“The speaker cancelled all consultation meetings on the agenda.”
Speaker Buyelwa Mafaya could not be reached for comment.
Bhanga said the party would only partake in a council meeting when the voting for a mayor and chief whip was on the agenda.
“We don’t have anything in the Municipal Finance Management Act about an interim mayor. The mayor needs to be elected democratically.”
Deputy mayor Thsonono Buyeye was appointed interim mayor until a new coalition government was formed in December.
It comes after former mayor Mongameli Bobani was booted out through a no-confidence motion which received 108 votes out of the 118 councillors in attendance.
The municipality has proposed tariff hikes of 8% for water, sanitation and refuse, 6.22% for electricity, and 8.5% for property rates which forms part of Friday’s agenda.
The proposed electricity price increase of 6.22% is subject to approval by the National Energy Regulator of SA (Nersa).
Bhanga said: “We reject that proposal.
“This budget proposed does not assist in stabilising the financing of the municipality.
“We want a budget that will consider stabilising the economy while not compromising on municipal infrastructure.”
Meanwhile, DA councillor Renaldo Gouws outlined the party’s plan which he said would boost the city’s economy.
“The coming months are going to present us with tough challenges,” he said.
“The municipality should be prepared, and do everything in its power to not only save the local economy but also to assist the various businesses, big or small, that are considered the beating heart of the Nelson Mandela Bay economy.”
Gouws said key areas that needed focus included business assistance, tourism assistance, assistance to the unemployed, job creation and revitalisation of the informal economy, public health, investment stimulation and catalytic projects.
On business assistance, he said any business should be given relief if it could prove, through a formal application, that its income had been negatively affected.
“Businesses must be able to immediately apply for the restructuring of their accounts.
“This could entail the deferment of rates, water and sanitation charges for a period of no more than three to six months.”
He said repayments would then be payable in instalments before the end of June next year.
“No interest must be charged on municipal arrears accrued during the determined period, and must not be levied for any period over which the principal debt is repaid.”
He said should the account holder default on the arrangement without making any further arrangements, interest may be charged to the account.
He called for financial relief to be provided through the deferment of municipal rental payments for the next three to six months, interest free, for bed and breakfasts, hotels, churches, NGOs, sports clubs and businesses.
Gouws said the municipality should consider re-establishing an independent tourism board comprising of industry role players to co-ordinate and lead aggressive marketing and promotion of tourism activities in the city.
“Now is not the time for bickering and politicking, now is the time for us to come together as a metro and fight the remnants that the Covid-19 pandemic has left for our economic prospects as a metro.”