Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
DA RESHUFFLE TO FOCUS ON YOUTH
But mayco replacements are pensioners
The DA-led city council appears not to be the only council facing ructions. Stellenbosch had its share of drama this week too. The party is reshuffling its mayoral committee in Stellenbosch.
The Weekend Argus was reliably informed of the reshuffle of two senior DA members just hours after five councillors dramatically resigned in the City of Cape Town.
A municipality official, councillors from the DA and the EFF said the reshuffle would be confirmed on Wednesday.
It is understood the DA federal executive this week approved the axing of Johannie Serdyn, mayco member for economic development and planning, and Aldridge Frazenburg, mayco member for community development and services.
DA MP James Vos, head of the Stellenbosch constituency, confirmed the reshuffle but would not comment further.
EFF councillor Derrick Hendrickse said while it was claimed that the mayor wanted to rope in youth, she had instead hired two 60-year-olds. He said the mayor chose to replace Serdyn and Frazenburg because they were against the removal of Donovan Joubert, who was replaced as speaker by Wilhelmina Petersen last month.
Officials said mayor Gesie van Deventer axed the two because she wanted “to inject young blood”.
At least two municipal sources confirmed that 55-year-old Frazenberg’s replacement is a 60-year-old pensioner who has just retired from a major car dealership in Stellenbosch.
Van Deventer said she would not confirm the reshuffle as nothing formal had been announced.
“The mayco is being reconsidered, but it will only be announced in the next council meeting.
“The proposed shuffle was necessitated by the resignation and subsequent election of a new speaker in July 2018. This created a vacancy for the position of single whip. The mayco member for human settlements was elected as the new whip, and this in turn created a vacancy on the mayoral committee.
“Furthermore, the newly adopted organogram of the municipality makes provision for changed portfolios and had to be accommodated.”
She did not respond to the claim she hired pensioners as replacements.
Hendrickse said Frazenberg, who was the chairperson of the DA constituency, was a powerful man in the DA and would contest this move.
Frazenberg said: “I think from my side I’d rather give it an opportunity and wait for October 31, and after that I’ll apply my mind.
“You know, I’m not worried. To be honest, I’ve been put in an extremely difficult position, but there is still hope. I’m waiting for the process to begin. If I don’t succeed, I’ll make up my mind.
“I’m a long-serving councillor. I don’t want a fight, otherwise I will resign from the party.”
He confirmed receiving a letter from the mayor informing her of the decision to remove him.
“The letter was simple. It informed me of the mayor’s desire and she wants to give young councillors a chance.”
Sources said DA Western Cape leader Bonginkosi Madikizela was in Stellenbosch recently to discuss party ructions in the area. Madikizela confirmed he had been in Stellenbosch but he was not privy to the reshuffle.
“There are issues in Stellenbosch, I’m not going to lie. But in general, and they’re not just issues between different political parties and stakeholders.”
He said he had not discussed party issues in that area and was awaiting a report on the reshuffle.