Media and public barred from Umdoni portfolio meetings

UMDONI Municipality is in the spotlight this week after it placed an embargo on both journalists and the public, effectively banning them from attending council portfolio committee meetings.

The resolution was adopted after opposition councillors were outvoted.

“The Democratic Alliance councillors voted against this recommendation on the basis that it is in conflict with national legislation that promotes transparency, and it is therefore improper for such a resolution to be taken,” said Umdoni DA Caucus Leader, Edwin Baptie.

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This, coupled with what is perceived to be a largely ineffective communications department, means this newspaper – which is currently awaiting council response on a number of issues – will be hampered in its reporting on council matters.

Chapter 7 section 160(7) of the Constitution states; ‘A Municipal Council must conduct its business in an open manner, and may close its sittings, or those of its committees, only when it is reasonable to do so having regard to the nature of the business being transacted.’

“One must question what motivates this attempt to defy the legislation and to remove transparency from the normal process of local governance. It is equally disturbing that the item was initially intended to be discussed ‘in committee’ and was reluctantly dealt with out of committee when I questioned why,” said councillor Baptie.

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In the past, observers were asked to leave chambers during committee discussions.

The municipality was approached for comment but none had been received at the time of going to print.

The DA has referred the matter to Cogta MEC, Nomusa Dube-Ncube and the Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane for their intervention.

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