Confidential info not for councillor eyes

THE identity of local businesses who owe the city for rates and services, is not for councillor eyes, but only those of city officials.

According to councillor Rick Crouch, the DA raised the issue of businesses in debt to the city at a meeting of the Finance Committee on Thursday 14 April.

Crouch said a Special Committee meeting, which was confidential for councillors only, was held in March during which a presentation was given naming the top 150 businesses in debt to the city.

The DA noted with concern that no minutes or documentation arising out of the confidential meeting were available at the meeting of the Finance Committee.

Crouch said the response from both the chief financial officer, Mr Krish Kumar, and the representative for the legal department, was that councillors could not be given the confidential information as the city did not want it leaked to the media.

“As a councillor in the city council I am personally offended by that statement. As councillors we are well aware that everything discussed in an 'in committee' meeting is confidential. Why is it that officials are considered more responsible than councillors, when did that start?” said Crouch.

He said officials were privy to the information but not councillors.

“As councillors we represent the residents who elected us and they have a right, through us, to know this information. How do we perform our oversight role if we are not provided with the information? On the organogram, officials, including the city manager, are below councillors but they think they are running this city and we are here to just rubber stamp anything that is put in front of us, it is a classic case of the tail wagging the dog. That is why this city is in the mess that it is. Residents should be very angry about this,” said Crouch.

eThekwini Municipality had not responded with comment at the time of going to press.