New Council to deliver on time
In the second council meeting the newly-appointed councillors of Makana Municipality were eager to get down to business and ensure that they complied with legislation and councillors’ rules of order from the onset.
Executive mayor Nomhle Gaga emphasised the need for the Council to improve on the last audit opinion, which was qualified.
Gaga told the Council that she meant what she said in the inaugural council meeting when she said: “To say it will be business unusual will be an understatement, things will be done differently, with unwavering dedication, commitment, professionalism and, most importantly, accountability must be the order of the day.”
Gaga was impressed with suggestions from political parties about the election of portfolio committee members. She said after consulting with the various political parties she was confident that she had elected people to portfolios that they were suited to.
Wednesday, 31 August saw the second gathering of the new Makana council members.
Council Speaker Yandiswa Vara made it clear that her intentions were to instil the word “honourable” in all the council members. Vara said in future meetings the doors will be locked as soon as the Council meeting starts and anyone who is late would not be allowed to enter.
“Acting MM I will hold you responsible for ensuring that there are keys on both the doors so that people can be here on time,” she said.
Vara also encouraged councillors to be vocal in meetings and urged them to speak with authority when they stood up to make a point in Council and stop referring to themselves as new councillors as they were going to be occupying the council for the next five years.
An injured Gaga was allowed to address the council sitting down, after it was announced that she had sprained her ankle. Gaga promised the councillors that the Municipality will do things differently under her leadership and accountability would take the lead in the Municipality.
When acting Municipal Manager Riana Meiring was Municipality given an opportunity to speak she mentioned that the induction of councillors would take place between 19 and 23 September, adding that the venue was yet to be confirmed.
In the meeting the annual performance report of the 2015/2016 financial year was submitted to Council for consideration and adoption. ANC Chief Whip Mabhuti Matyumza suggested under that item that correct monitoring of overtime needed to be implemented.
Gaga also called for Council members to prioritise Council meetings, over meetings of outside bodies, pointing out that most issues would be easy to comply with if this system was used.
In the end the Council agreed to the recommendation and adopted the 2015/16 annual performance report and the Service Delivery Budget Implementation Plan.
They moved swiftly to supplementary agendas of the meeting which included the discussion about the end of term of the current acting Municipal Manager which is in mid-September. However, that item was later withdrawn from the agenda after Matyumza pointed out that Meiring's current term hadn't expired and it would therefore not be wise to appoint an acting Municipal Manager while there is already a person acting in the position.
The council went on to extend Etienne Mager's contract as the acting director of Corporate Services whose term expired on Tuesday this week. The position of Corporate Services Director has been advertised and Council agreed that he would act in the position for a period not exceeding three months pending the appointment of a permanent Corporate Services Director.
Other issues that were discussed included the fourth quarter financial report 2016/17; the submission of Annual Performance Report; tabling of the Integrated Development Plan (IDP)/Budget and Performance Management Process Plan 2016/17 financial year; tools of trade for councillors; standing rules and orders of council; establishment of section 80 committees to Council; councillors that are serving on outside bodies and the library advisory committee; and the meeting schedule for July 2016 to June 2017.