Acrimonious MyCiTi battle

THE RECENT spat between DA Mayco member, Brett Herron and the National Council of Provinces is further proof of the disintegration of service delivery in our city and province.

In compliance with its constitutional obligations to facilitate public participation in lawmaking and other processes, the NCOP has initiated oversight programmes such as its “Taking Parliament to the People” programme.

The City of Cape Town has been involved in an acrimonious battle with the citizens facing evictions in South Road, Wynberg. The city’s plan is to build a new highway for the MyCiTi bus route. At a question-and-answer session in Constantia on November 19 last year, Herron referred to the plans as “still being in the conceptual stage”. The city bulldozed three houses in December without the approval of the full council and, when the ANC tried to raise its objections, councillors were locked out of the first council meeting this year.

As Herron has repeatedly failed to meet the victims of South Road, his retort publicly attacking the ANC is most unfortunate and unbecoming of a public servant who is duty-bound to “serve” the electorate across the political landscape.

As the NCOP was exercising its constitutional mandate, it follows that members outranked Brett Herron politically on the day of their visit. Herron was, therefore, a guest of the NCOP and they were exercising their oversight role, which is exactly what the DA does in the national Parliament. Herron’s concern that the NCOP “chose to abuse this visit for political purposes” is delusional as his own DA colleague, MP Thandi Mpambo-Sibhukwana, was part of the NCOP delegation. He still needs to clarify whether he excluded the DA MP during his belligerent attack on the NCOP or not.

Herron’s arrogant demeanour is evident, given that he has failed to appear before the Provincial Portfolio Committee on Transport despite being instructed to do so by his own DA MPL colleague, Lennit Max. Herron’s backing of mayor Patricia de Lille to stand against Max in the forthcoming DA provincial leadership elections could be the reason why ratepayers now find themselves caught up in an internal party squabble.

The city has not proven beyond reasonable doubt that alternative routes are not viable, and perhaps it is time for the national government to intervene and suspend funding of the R4.1 billion project until a judicial investigation is launched into why a lower organ of state appears to be operating outside its constitutional mandate. COLIN ARENDSE ANC Ward 63 Wynberg