The Mogale City Local Municipality passed a motion of no confidence in the Speaker and Chief Whip, and elected two new incumbents to fill these positions. This happened during a special meeting on Friday 13 January.
This came about as a result of the previous Speaker jeopardising the functioning of the council by refusing to call meetings requested by the majority of councillors as well as by the Executive Mayor.
Firstly, the Speaker was called upon by the majority of councillors to convene a meeting to debate a motion of no confidence in himself and the Chief Whip. Instead of convening the requested meeting and debating the matter during the meeting, the Speaker unlawfully took an administrative decision not to convene the meeting.
Secondly, the Executive Mayor, Michael Holenstein, requested the Speaker to convene a special meeting to discuss the extension of an overdraft facility. This came about as a result of insufficient cash flow to pay a bonus, which the previous Executive Mayor and a previous Municipal Manager had promised employees.
According to the Mayor, this request to both the Speaker and Acting Municipal Manager was ignored.
Thirdly, the Speaker was requested by the Executive Mayor to convene a special meeting to confirm the appointment of an Acting Municipal Manager.
This was to tide the municipality over until the newly recruited Municipal Manager was ready to resume his duties. In response, the Speaker attempted to intimidate councillors and administrative staff by sending correspondence to them indicating that if they attended the meeting, they could face disciplinary action.
Despite the fact that the Speaker ordered officials to lock the council chamber, a majority of councillors met in the Mayoral Chambers and unanimously agreed to the appointment of an Acting Municipal Manager, agreed to the motion of no confidence in the Speaker and Chief Whip of Council, and replaced the Speaker and Chief Whip with new incumbents.
In a bizarre twist of events, the local ANC is now claiming that the DA is in the process of destroying Mogale City.
“The ANC on the West Rand is dismayed at the manner in which the DA and EFF coalition in Mogale City is plunging the city into further chaos through their blatant disregard for the laws that govern local government,” a statement to the media reads.
Furthermore, the statement says that Mayor Holenstein returned from Europe on 11 January and sought a meeting the following Friday to consider a vote of no confidence in other members of the political management, a total disregard of standing rules and orders of council, which require a 14-day notice period before such could be considered.
“Despite having been presented with the rules of council, Holenstein has illegally decided to convene council meetings himself – instead of the Speaker doing so as the only person legally mandated to do such.”
The local ANC said the way the DA and EFF coalition is handling things at the moment is unacceptable.
“The state of service delivery has gone down in the city, and the residents are feeling the pinch. All the coalition party is concerned about is power, not to satisfy the needs of the people of Mogale City.”
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And the new Mayor of Mogale City is
Mogale City accounts can be viewed online
