Hiccups at mayoral outreach

GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - The mayoral outreach in Graaff-Reinet did not start all that well this year as there were challenges at both outreach meetings in Ward 4/5 (Kroonvale and Sunnyside) and Ward 3 (Santaville) on 28 April.

The outreach meeting in Ward 4/5 was postponed at the request of the counsellor for Ward 4 based on the absence of the municipal manager, Edward Rankwana, and most of the directors.

The meeting was attended by the mayor, Ewald Loock, the director of community services, Gewnynne Hermanus, and some of the lower management municipal officials only. Joy Williams (Ward 4) believed that this was not fair towards the community as the primary objective of the outreach meeting was to respond to questions relating to municipal affairs and the municipal manager and directors are the ones who should respond to these questions.

This was supported by members of the Action Save DBNLM movement and others present at the meeting.

However, the outreach meeting in Ward 3 that was scheduled for later that day went ahead as the counsellor for Ward 3 believed that the meeting merely serves as an information session and that there is no need for the municipal manager and directors to be present.

In addition to the mayor, director of community services and lower management municipal officials, this meeting was attended by some counsellors, including Joy Williams, Francois de Villiers and Garry Wiehahn on behalf of the Democratic Alliance (DA).

Annela Mnuni (Ward 3) was the chairperson of the meeting and after she welcomed everybody, she allowed the opportunity for her boyfriend to address those in attendance at the meeting. Williams says that she found this very confusing.

"I have never seen any counsellor assuming the role of chairperson at any mayoral outreach meeting ever before."

According to Williams, the way in which Mnuni's boyfriend addressed them was very rude. He warned them that he is not in a good mood and that they should not rub him up the wrong way.

He also made it clear that those in attendance are merely observers who are there to observe and nothing more. After his rather disturbing address, someone from the floor seconded what he said at the request of Mnuni who then minuted it. Following this, she proceeded to tell the DA Counsellors that the community feels that they are not welcome at the meeting and that they should leave.

"This came as a huge shock to us and we then wanted to know who this "the community" is that she is referring to," says Williams. "Mnuni could not respond to this and just repeated that "the community" does not want us there and again instructed us to leave the meeting." Francois de Villiers responded that it is unlawful as their attendance is not prohibited by any legislation.

"A Counsellor is a public representative and allowed in any public meeting."

He added that the meeting is not a ward meeting but a mayoral outreach meeting and that they have every right to be there. However, Mnuni just insisted that the community does not want them there and that they should leave. Williams believes that Mnuni and her boyfriend made this decision, it was not the decision of the community.

Unfortunately, her persistence incited some of those in attendance who then started shouting at them to leave. Speaking to Graaff-Reinet Advertiser, Williams confirmed that they immediately reported the incident to the speaker, Cheslin Felix. If the speaker fails to intervene they will escalate the matter.