GRAAFF-REINET NEWS — The maiden council sitting of the newly amalgamated Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality in Graaff-Reinet was met with outrage from some residents, who disrupted proceedings in protest against the alleged selection of mayoral candidates.
The sitting, which was expected to commence at 10am, took an unexpected twist when residents, some wearing orange Community Work Programme overalls, began singing struggle songs and dancing inside the Graaff-Reinet City Hall as proceedings were ready to start.
Ignoring interim municipal manager Noël Pietersen’s plea for order, the residents continued undeterred, making insults and demanding they be addressed. The media were prevented from attending the briefing that followed with the protesters.
Although the exact reason for their grievances remained unknown as none were willing to comment, it is widely-speculated that those protesting were unhappy with the ANC's selection of mayoral candidates.
In a Facebook-posting following the event, a member of the public stated that the unhappiness stems from the mayor being thrust upon them by the regional office with the local ANC members not being given a say in who's elected. "So it's once again expected of us to accept a mayor that is not wanted by the masses of the ANC in this new Dr Beyers Naudé Municipality", read the post.
The Municipality refrained to comment on the matter stating that it was a political matter which should be taken up with the ANC's regional office. The Advertiser then contacted the ANC's regional office in this regard, but no comment was forthcoming.
The sitting eventually took place some three hours later after an agreement had been reached - again no details were provided as the media weren't allowed to attend - with ANC candidate for mayor, Deon de Vos, edging out the DA’s Samantha Jankovich to be elected mayor. The ruling party’s Thembisa Nonnies was chosen as speaker. In his opening statement, de Vos, who until his nomination served as the speaker of the Sarah Baartman District Municipality, said government would put the needs of residents first as “we cannot makes promises and forget about them when we enter the [council] chambers”.
“The community must be treated with respect no matter what. It must be important that service to the people are delivered and not just assured. Our people came first… those who treat them as beggars will face the consequences,” de Vos said.
The municipality, which was established earlier this year following the merger of the DA-run Baviaans Local Municipality and the ANC-led Camdeboo and troubled Ikwezi Local Municipalities, fell under the control of the ruling party after the August third local government elections, who took 51.05% of vote compared to the DA’s 46.59% and Economic Freedom Fighters’s 1.74%.
'We bring you the latest Graaff-Reinet, Karoo news'
