Cape Town - Mayor Dan Plato is weak and supported by councillors who are merely singing for their supper.
That’s how opposition parties labelled Plato’s election as mayor of the City of Cape Town.
Plato was officially installed as mayor during a heated council meeting on Tuesday. He won with 146 votes, mostly from DA councillors.
The ANC’s Xolani Sotashe, who was also nominated as a candidate, got 53 votes, while the ACDP’s candidate, Grant Haskin, got three votes only.
Voting was done by secret ballot.
“I will not be able to do it alone, and will need the support of everyone who shares this City’s vision, and let me repeat that vision now: we are focused on delivering quality services to all residents, serving the residents of Cape Town as a well-governed and corruption-free administration,” Plato said in his inaugural speech.
But opposition parties did not mince their words.
EFF councillor Melikhaya Xego said Plato had failed in all his previous positions.
“We now know for sure that you want to build a united council, but Mr Mayor you are now leading a caucus that is deeply divided. Previously, as a mayor, you left Khayelitsha with portable toilets.
“That community still has portable toilets, and you are again the mayor,” he said.
Xego said Plato should continue with former mayoral committee member Brett Herron’s work on social housing.
“Look at the striking MyCiTi bus workers who are outside striking. Why can’t they be insourced. You need to continue with Herron’s work, not the work of councillors who are just here to sing for their supper,” he said.
ANC council leader Xolani Sotashe brought up Plato’s relationship with certain gang members, and raised the controversial water issue.
“He has disguised talks with gangsters in the name of peace talks. There are victims of the disaster created with the City’s water. Our people are paying exorbitant money on their water bills. But really it is easy to be in your shoes because you were never elected, you were placed in this position,” he said.
Cope councillor Farouk Cassiem said traffic congestion needed attention.
“Cape Town is the most traffic-congested city in South Africa. Not tackling this problem with vigour will contribute to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions, frayed tempers and economic constraints,” he said.
The president of the Cape Chamber of Commerce, Janine Myburgh, welcomed Plato’s appointment.
Plato responded to opposition parties, saying that he understood that they needed to interject and attend to several matters.
@JasonFelix