Who is in charge of Laingsburg?
Murkiness in municipality deepens
UNCERTAINTY has thrown the embattled Laingsburg municipality into further controversy as there is no clarity on who is in charge of the Karoo town. While DA Western Cape leader Bonginkosi Madikizela said they had signed an agreement with the Karoo Ontwikkelings Party (KOP) to establish a coalition government in Laingsburg, the KOP’s alliance partner Karoo Democratic Force (KDF) said they were not aware of anything. Efforts to contact Willem Adams of the KOP in Laingsburg failed. The ANC also said they would continue discussions with their coalition partner in Laingsburg.
Madikizela said they signed the agreement yesterday. The signing of the agreement means that the DA now governs all 30 municipalities in the Western Cape, either on its own or in coalition with other parties.
Noel Constable, mayor of the Central-Karoo district municipality and leader of the KDF, said they were not aware of any agreement.
“We have heard about the Bongi (Madikizela) statement, but we have not seen anything or heard any further news.
“Our alliance partner has also not given us any feedback. As far we see it, there was no new coalition agreement with any other party,” he said.
ANC provincial secretary Faiez Jacobs said they were still going to meet with their coalition partner.
Madikizela said he would provide the Cape Argus with a copy of the signed agreement between the parties, but at the time of going to print he had not sent the documents. Upon further request he said his spokesperson would be sending the documents.
The municipality has seen several changes of leadership. After the 2016 local government elections, the DA and KOP entered into a coalition agreement, but later last year it was terminated due to governance and political challenges. “A number of challenges caused it to be terminated, whereafter the KOP entered into an agreement with the ANC. This agreement was not sustainable,” Madikizela said.
In terms of the agreement, KOP councillor Johannes Mienies will serve as mayor, while the DA will be represented by councillor Bertie van As as deputy mayor. DA councillor Wilhelm Theron will again take the speaker’s chair.