Cape Town - The ANC is probing the conduct of one of its Oudtshoorn members who penned a controversial statement lambasting the decision by the DA-led provincial government to place the town’s council under full administration.
The Western Cape provincial government, in consultation with the national Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Pravin Gordhan, this week amended the terms and conditions of the provincial intervention, vesting all executive powers and accounting officer responsibilities in the Administrator and no longer in the council.
The council also does not have a mayor or a speaker, effectively taking the power out of the hands of the politicians.
The responsibility for the financial and legal departments was withdrawn from the council and now rests with the Administrator.
Speaking on behalf of the ANC in Oudtshoorn, Thandile Salman said the ANC did not support the intervention in the town or the amendments giving the Administrator full powers.
“As the ANC we are not supporting this because it was not done legally. The municipality was not given an opportunity to report but it was a clear trick to save (the) DA from losing power after taking it illegally from the ANC in August,” Salman added.
Salman said the DA’s takeover in August went against a court order that prevented the party from tabling any motions in the council.
“As the ANC in Oudtshoorn, we do not support and accept the decision of full administration and additional power to the Administrator. We are considering going to court to get relief for the acknowledgment of the newly elected speaker, mayor, deputy mayor and the mayoral committee,” he added.
Salman also raised concern about the Administrator, Kam Chetty, saying the ANC believed he was a DA agent because of his conduct.
“We will appreciate it if he can step down with immediate effect. The threats by DA senior leaders of dissolving the council must stop. Oudtshoorn is not their farm or playground and they will not do as they please. As the ANC we refuse to succumb to white supremacy,” he added.
Clarifying the ANC’s position in Oudtshoorn, the party’s southern Cape regional secretary, Major Sokopo, said the ANC welcomed the decision taken to give the Administrator full power to restore stability in the municipality.
Sokopo confirmed that the contents of the letter by Salman, which went out to several media outlets, were not the views of the ANC.
“There is no structure of the ANC that took a decision to stand against the intervention of the national and provincial government to put an administrator in charge of the municipality. We will investigate this matter and there will be repercussions,” he said.
The ANC’s regional executive committee in the Southern Cape were locked in urgent talks on Thursday to discuss the matter.
“We will take steps against members who tries to bring the party into disrepute,” Sokopo said.
Cape Argus