Saptoe’s seat a hot topic
Roslyn Saptoe's removal from a seat in the municipal external audit committee did not sit well with all folks in Council. The ANC and PBI took exception to a statement last week by Mayor Leon van Wyk that the decision was supported by all parties. The item was dealt with as confidential during a special council meeting on Friday 31 July. "Why now in two years of her service in the audit committee?" asked the ANC's Nomawethu Jantjies-Gushman. "Did she do anything or show any act or behaviour that showed conflict of interest?..." She said the ANC has asked for the management report from the Auditor General (AG). "[The ANC]... made it clear that if they just used the name of the AG to fulfil their dirty agenda we are firmly standing against that and their clear racial discrimination," she said. "So for Leon Van Wyk to turn around and spread blue lies about us being in agreement with them is stupid and nonsense." Van Wyk, however, said Council made the responsible decision. "The Auditor-General in its audit finding noted that actions had not been taken to mitigate the threat to the independence of the audit committee member, i.e. not independent in appearance. The council therefore needed to take action to ensure there would not be another audit finding. Council has the responsibility to act in the interests of George Municipality and its citizens in ensuring clean governance."
No support
The PBI wanted to put it on record that they did not participate in the discussion of the item. The leader, Virgill Gericke, was absent and the other member, Patrick Buys, said he had not received an agenda. "Therefore, we do not support the decision to remove Ms Saptoe," reads a statement by the party. It said Van Wyk "has no mandate to issue a statement on behalf of the PBI" and that his statement "is riddled with lies and untruths." Claire Kleinhans, general secretary of the PBI, also laid the mayor's action at the door of racism. Kleinhans said the PBI will request the Speaker to investigate the "false media statement" of Van Wyk and take appropriate steps. At the time of going to press the Speaker's office had not receive, such a request from the PBI. Van Wyk said he would not be responding to the PBI's media statement.
Not impressed
In a letter to George Herald, Saptoe expressed her displeasure with last week's article (Council cleans house for AG, p. 3), which she said failed to mention other sections of her written complaint to the mayor. She said the municipality did not respond to a serious allegation against the chairperson of the audit committee, Dr Adele Potgieter, who has exceeded her term, "resulting in irregular expenditure and possible unlawful actions" on the part of the municipality. This also indicates "selective application by Council of the audit charter". Municipal spokesperson Chantel Edwards-Klose said the municipality has provided a response on this matter and will not enter into dialogue via the media.