The ANC in the Modimolle-Mookgophong Municipality has filed for a motion of no confidence against the mayor, Marlene van Staden.

The motion follows a statement by ANC Waterberg regional spokesperson Matome Moremi-Taueatsoala on Tuesday (July 5).

According to the statement, Van Staden presumably claimed travel allowances with council for trips she did not make and in instances where meetings were hosted virtually.

Van Staden, however, clarified that as an employee serving council, it was within the financial prescripts that travel is an approved expense. “I am not an employee of the municipality, but a councillor serving in council. This means my travel to and from work, which is not on a daily basis, has to be paid for as I do not work at the municipality. The same applies to trips undertaken for work purposes.”

This, she said, is standard practice for all councillors.

The ANC further states that some of the trips made “are yet to bear fruit and were largely wasteful” in a time that the Auditor-General has described the municipality’s financial state as having been “in a vulnerable state for five years now”.

Van Staden responded by saying she visits municipalities in other provinces in an effort to achieve clean audits, and ensure good governance and financial sustainability. These trips are mostly funded and not paid by the municipality, “they have never cost the Modimolle-Mookgophong Municipality one cent.”