Councillors want more overseas trips

ETHEKWINI Municipality councillors are crying foul over being excluded from outings including international trips, which prevents them from playing their “oversight role”.

As a result, the council approved a resolution this week that three councillors will travel with KwaZulu-Natal’s under-18 women’s rugby team that will compete at the United World Games 2017 in Austria from June 20-26.

Initially, only one councillor had been approved to travel with the team.

The three councillors will be chosen by political parties in consultation with the Speaker’s office.

ANC councillors said councillors travelling would attend coaching clinics and other side events. The council has put aside R258 700 for the trip.

“There are sporting activities like rugby that are still very white,” said ANC councillor Barbara Fontein. “We need to change, the sport needs to be accessible to all other youths in the city, and the councillors will attend the clinics so they can come back and assist in that,” she said.

ANC councillor Sipho Kaunda said councillors had complained that they were always left out when trips were scheduled.

“The councillors made an argument that whenever there are international trips they are not included.

“That is what led to this decision to increase the number of the councillors who will be going there,” he said. The DA said sending three councillors to the event was inappropriate.

“There are 11 people going on this trip.

“Why are we sending three councillors?

“It is unnecessary. What are the councillors going to be doing?” asked DA councillor Heinz de Boer.

“Instead of sending three councillors it would be better if we sent a coach who would come back with skills and impart them to the youth,” said De Boer.