The mayor has been accused, by other parties in the monthly council meeting, of using ratepayers’ money for the purposes of electioneering.
This was the concern of some political parties in Ekurhuleni Metro Municipality on the tabling of the adjustments on the 2013/2014 metro budget.
This adjustment budget, which is 1.27% less than the original one, was approved at the February meeting of Ekurhuleni Metro Municipality, held on Thursday in Germiston.
Eddie Taylor, the DA’s spokesman on finance in Ekurhuleni said the DA could not support this item if the part where the mayor requested R4 350-million was omitted. He felt this reflected the winning of ANC votes with ratepayers’ money.
Taylor’s concern that public money was used for getting ANC votes, was echoed by Izak Berg of the Independent Ratepayers’ Association and Jan Esterhuizen of the IFP.
The item in the agenda read: the R4 350-m would go towards the implementation of the democracy and civic education campaigns to inform, empower and educate especially the youth and people with disabilities in various communities.
The money would further go towards a youth festival to celebrate 20 years of democracy and to encourage young people to be patriotic, involved in governance matters and also request and encourage them to vote.
This money would also be used for youth picnics to be held at municipal parks to let young people of all walks of life socialise, as well as for T-shits, development seminars and interactions of the mayor at shopping malls and personal contact sessions with voters.
Of the R4 350-m an amount of R200 000 would be used to pray for the country and political leaders as well as for peaceful elections.
After Taylor and the other political parties’ comments on this adjustment budget, the ANC answered, amongst others, via Robert Mashego the chief whip. He remarked that the ANC took the metro meetings seriously and had to remember that the DA was the opposition. “When they fail to be the opposition, they cease to exist. We accept that they will oppose,” he said.
The political slurs became so intense during and after this item that the speaker Patricia Kumalo, requested André du Plessis, DA chief whip to exercise leadership, as he was “losing the battle” to control his people.
She also said the DA members of the metro had to respect the position as speaker, as she would not allow anyone to disregard the position.
Niel Diamond, the ANC’s chairman of the finance portfolio said after the meeting, because of the political reactions on what the opposition said, he had no chance during the council meeting to explain why the mayor had requested the money.
He told the press in the foyer of the council building that the mayor requested the R4 350-m in January, before the election date was determined and that this was not intended for getting ANC votes.
The original idea was to especially encourage the young people to vote.
He reminded all political parties that the mayor is mayor to all communities of the metro.
