DA anger at non-allocation of council seat

A FURORE over the lack of allocation to the DA of a seat on the executive council of the Emalahleni Municipality remains unresolved, with the municipality indicating that it had not received a letter from cooperative governance and traditional affairs MEC Fikile Xasa to do so.

Emalahleni Municipality communications officer Luthando Nqumkana confirmed that the allocation had not been done.

The Rep reported (“Emalahleni DA in praise of Cogta's Exco finding,” November 25, 2016) that DA MPL Kobus Botha had said after the growth of the party in the area following last year's August polls, the party was entitled to one seat on the mayoral committee.

Botha said this was according to Section 43 of the Municipal Structures Act and Section 160(8) of the Constitution of 1996.

Botha was informed in writing by DA caucus leader Pieter Greyling of the Emalahleni council’s failure to allocate a seat to the DA.

The Rep also received a copy written by Xasa to Botha outlining the process that should be followed. In the letter, Xasa said Emalahleni had failed to comply with provisions of Section 43(1) and (2) of the Municipal Structures Act, 1998.

Xasa said the total number of seats was multiplied by 20% to determine the accurate application of Section 43 or representation of political parties.

This formula gave the ANC six seats and the DA one on the seven-seat mayoral committee. “The recommendations were made to the municipality to include an opposition member in the Exco as it is a constitutional obligation,” Xasa wrote.

Nqumkana said: “Regarding the DA’s issue, we requested information from the office of the MEC for cooperative governance and traditional affairs as it is alleged that we were informed of the directive from this higher office. We do so because there is nothing we received from them as the directive.”