Troubled, struggling Oudtshoorn hoping for change

Expert team has visited town, will fully assess what’s needed

THE Oudtshoorn council will decide within two weeks on the extent of the powers that the executive mayor and the executive mayoral committee will have following last week’s special council meeting that saw a new mayor and a deputy elected.

Last Friday, the troubled municipality held a controversial council meeting where Gordon April and Vlancio Donson were ousted from their mayor and deputy mayor seats respectively following a vote of no confidence.

A budget was also finally approved at the fifth time of asking.

The council also accepted a support package for the municipality offered by Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Minister Pravin Gordhan and provincial government.

“The Oudtshoorn Municipal Council has, during its special council meeting on Friday, elected a new executive mayor, Wessie van der Westhuizen of the Democratic Alliance, and his deputy is John Stoffels of the National People’s Party,” municipality spokesperson Ntobeko Mangqwengqwe said.

Van der Westhuizen is a former Eden District Municipality mayor and Stoffels the former Speaker.

The two councillors were elected unopposed with 14 votes as 10 councillors from the ANC and one from the Independent Civics Organisation of South Africa (Icosa) walked out of the council meeting, arguing against the vote of no confidence against April and Donson, Mangqwengqwe said.

“Council has also withdrawn its delegations of power register for a review.

“The withdrawn delegation register conferred more powers to the executive mayor and the executive mayoral committee, and not only to the full council.”

Van der Westhuizen said this would see the council review the extent of power afforded to the mayor and executive, which included power over legal matters and the position of chairperson of the selection committee.

Meanwhile, Dumisa Jele, the Cogta spokesperson, said the municipality still had serious difficulties.

These include non-functional council structures, irregular acting appointments in senior administrative positions, water pollution, refuse removal and a general break- down in delivery of services to communities.

“Cogta will obtain a full report on these developments (of the council meeting) from the provincial authorities and evaluate these developments.”

James-Brent Styan, spokesperson for Local Government MEC Anton Bredell said: “The minister has noted the recent developments in Oudtshoorn. His department has a team of experts who have already been to Oudtshoorn.

“A full assessment of what exactly needs to be done to return to full sustainability is being compiled.”

ANC regional secretary Major Sopoko did not reply to requests for comment.