Politieke egskeiding op Prins Albert
Alles dui daarop dat die huwelik van die afgelope vier jaar tussen die DA en die Karoo Gemeenskapsparty (KGP) in Prins Albert verby is. Dit kom nadat die burgemeester van Prins Albert, Goliat Lottering (KGP), einde verlede week aangekondig het dat hy dié koalisie die rug gaan toekeer en voortaan met die ANC hier saamwerk.
“Die DA in die Sentraal-Karoo neem kennis van die voorneme van die KGP om sy koalisie met die DA te verbreek. Ons wag steeds op die rede vir hierdie skielik plan,” lui ’n verklaring van die DA.
Lottering het by navraag gesê hy sou Maandag 6 Julie op medianavrae reageer.
Die DA het in die vorige munisipale verkiesing in 2016 die meeste stemme op hom verenig, maar dit was nie ’n volstrekte meerderheid nie. Dit het dié party gedwing om in ’n samewerkingsooreenkoms met die KGP te gaan. Lottering is toe as burgemeester aangewys, met Linda Jaquet en Stoffel Botes albei van die DA, onderskeidelik as onderburgemeester en speaker.
Die raad in Prins Albert bestaan uit drie DA-, twee KGP- en twee ANC-lede. Dit blyk dat dit veral Jaquet en Botes se poste is wat nou in gevaar is.
Dit blyk dat Lottering in dié stadium die leiding geneem het om ook die koalisie met die DA van die ander twee Karoo-partye, die KDF (Karoo Development Forum) en die KOP (Karoo Ontwikkelingsparty), onderskeidelik op Beaufort-Wes en Laingsburg, te verbreek en met die ANC in dié dorpe saam te werk. Prins Albert, Beaufort-Wes en Laingsburg vorm saam die Sentraal-Karoo-distriksmunisipaliteit (SKDM), met dr. Annelie Rabe (DA) in die burgemeesterstoel.
Dié verwikkelinge volg op Prins Albert se prestasie om weer in die vorige boekjaar ’n skoon oudit te behaal.
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"However when we went to Ward 6, residents rioted, saying that the ward councillor had had no consultation with the community," he said, adding that projects were then started in Wards 3, 4, and 14.
All projects were put on hold because of the Covid-19 pandemic and according to Mackelina, the project in Ward 14 (a DA ward) was stopped and transferred to Ward 6.
"We owe the opposition nothing," said Galada. "DA councillors cannot fight the adoption of the budget and then go into meetings and demand work be done in their areas."
"I am tired of being bullied," responded Mackelina. "Kroonvale is the oldest suburb and we have no tarred roads, but the money always goes to the township areas."
Samantha Graham-Maré, MP, is angry at Galada’s social media comments. "Not happy with just threatening the whole DA caucus and Ward 14 in particular with the withholding of services, in a heated exchange, he then accuses Councillor Mackelina of using drugs," she said. Galada accused Mackelina of buying drugs after she wrote he must "go back to school and learn what [white monopoly capitalism] means.
In the message above this, Galada wrote: "The budget will serve those that have people's [interest at heart], not white monopoly capitalism." Graham-Maré said she has asked that this matter be referred to the Speaker to be dealt with in terms of the Code of Conduct.
"No councillor has the right to threaten others or to cast aspersions on their character on a public platform."