Cape Town - Rolling back the legacy of Patricia de Lille is the first order of business for Mayor Dan Plato as he promised to review plans and processes set in motion under her watch.
Plato has plans to review and largely change the City of Cape Town's Organisational Development and Transformational Plan (ODTP).
The Plan was premised largely on dividing the peninsula into four regions, each with its own mini-mayor. Plato will also do away with the mini-mayors, who were the eyes and ears of De Lille and whose function was to get a better grasp on issues that communities were grappling with.
“I have said it from the start. There are several issues with the ODTP and it needs to be reviewed. This is what I have told the caucus and it was agreed on. There are aspects of the ODTP that work, but others simply don’t. The ones that don’t work will be tweaked,” Plato said.
According to scoping documents, the ODTP concept was translated into practical implementation plans by a core group of 68 employees within the City who were nominated to participate in the process because of their expertise, insight, positive attitude and institutional knowledge.
The final plan was adopted by the council on August 24, 2016 as part of the administration’s recommendations to the new council supporting statutory obligations that are part of the integrated development planning process.
DA city caucus leader JP Smith said there were aspects of the plan that worked, but others were inefficient.
“We need to review the area-based mayco system. Some of the plans worked, others did not work. There might be some aspects that have good intentions and plans, but did not work and were difficult to implement. The manner in which the housing department was put together, coupled with other plans, were problematic.”
But Plato’s plan needs the majority of support of councillors in council and already opposition parties have dismissed him as mayor.
He was in Philippi on Monday, talking to residents before his installation as mayor.
“Opposition parties can say what they want to, but we are the majority party in the council. I am here to work, and that is what I will be doing.”
But the ACDP, who describes Plato as mediocre, said their councillor Grant Haskin will be put forward as mayoral candidate. Haskin is the former deputy mayor of Cape Town. He has held political office for 18 years since 2000 - as councillor for 13 years and as a member of the Legislature for five years, including two years as the chairperson of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts.
The ACDP will not support Plato’s nomination as mayor and it will also not vote for an ANC nomination.
ANC caucus spokesperson Khaya Yozi said they will be nominating Xolani Sotashe.
“We are very confident that there is a good chance for Sotashe. There are still several unhappy councillors in the DA caucus and we are calling them to support us. On the matter with the ACDP, we will not be supporting them either.”
@JasonFelix