DA accuses Speaker of violating requirements of her office

The DA in the metro has accused the Speaker of council, Patricia Kumalo, of grossly violating the statutory requirements of her office.

The accusation comes after she withdrew a question requiring the mayor’s response at a recent council meeting.

DA Shadow MMC for Roads and Transport, Bill Rundle, had tabled questions for oral reply, about the metro’s failure to award tenders for the repair and maintenance of the metro’s roads in the 2013/2014 financial year.

The Speaker withdrew these questions, citing that the matter was before the courts and some of the answers could jeopardise the outcome of the case.

However, in answer to the DA’s Chief Whip, André du Plessis, she stated that she had not had a legal opinion on the matter and it was her decision that the questions would not be answered.

When challenged that there was no provision in the council’s standing orders for her to restrict the answers to the questions, it is alleged that she continued to refuse to back down.

“One of the main functions of council and its oversight bodies is to question and interrogate the actions and results of the metro’s officials in the event of wrongdoing surfacing,” said Rundle.

“The DA’s main concern is that the ANC-led metro is attempting to hide something in refusing to answer these questions, which the DA maintains are not related to the court case at all, but rather to service delivery.

“The questions relate to the fact that, as a result of the court case, tenders have come to a complete standstill.

“This means that, as public representatives, the DA is chiefly concerned about the court interdict against the metro which prevents it from awarding roads repair and maintenance contracts.

“The council, its oversight bodies and, most importantly, residents, are being kept in the dark about this matter.”