New mayor lifts the veil…
PLETTENBERG BAY -
Bitou Municipality will now be managed by a 'political management committee', comprising the four parties in the new coalition - ANC, PDC, IPM and PA - with rotating chairpersons, said the new Bitou Mayor, Claude Terblanche.
Speaking from his office on Monday, shortly after former mayor Dave Swart had vacated his office, Terblanche (38) said he would wait until the collective of the new coalition in Bitou, consisting of his party - the PDC, the majority ANC, the IPM and the PA, had communicated their position to municipal executives before communicating his priorities.
He said this management committee would oversee the running of the municipality and that they operate in the best interests of the people. The new collective held the meeting with the municipal manager, directors and senior management to communicate "that the government in Bitou had changed".
This included explaining the joint coalition agreement and joint manifesto, said Terblanche. Aspects covered included what the new coalition stands for - clean government that will continue in good standing to improve the lives of the Plettenberg Bay community as a whole.
He said the main aspect is to show that the collective improves the lives of Plettenberg Bay residents, prioritising service to all communities.
Tipping points
Terblanche repeated the two points which, according to him, led to the breakdown of the DA-led coalition: the R27m write-off of augmentation levies, including R10m for the new
Plett Quarter and R5m for Boxer in Kwanokuthula – and the new Ultra City development near the Plett roundabout. These arrangements had been negotiated by the mayor and the municipal manager, said Terblanche.
The second disagreement arose with the "bloating" of the organisation structure to make provision for a new director of community safety, which he said brought the salary bill of directors and senior management close to R14m.
Career
Terblanche, who was born in Plettenberg Bay, lived in Derbyshire, "the original Plett", until he matriculated at Plett Preparatory School, and got his first job at a fish restaurant in the town.
He later became an international field sales marketer with Tiger
Brands.
His political career began when he joined the New Horizons Concerned Forum that addressed various issues with Bitou Municipality. Terblanche says he has engaged with various ministers, including Nomaindia Mfeketo, "and fought with all of them, no matter who they were… and stood up for the community of New Horizons…"
Affiliation
About suggestions that the PDC would be garnering support for the PA in the upcoming national and provincial elections, Terblanche said he has always voted DA and has been a DA member for as long as he can remember. However, he said he was attacked by certain sections of society, also DA voters, who called him names and attacked him personally. "Now, after the happenings of the past week, I've decided not to vote for the DA again."
He said his vote is his personal choice and it is his secret. Asked about criticism about his role as speaker, Terblanche did not wish to respond, but did say there were no "real facts" contained in the criticism and that his critics needed to "show proof". "I'm the ward councillor for Ward 4 and must look after the interests of my ward." He said his stance has always been transparency, openness and being fair. He has a public role to play in local society and won't operate differently. "I will keep the community informed." He denied that he had been captured by the PA. "Our party, the PDC, has no affiliation with the PA. We've signed no agreement. It is untrue to say we're in their pockets," said Terblanche. "Gayton Mckenzie is a respectable leader with support from various coloured and black members of society," he said.