THE ANC and KDF have removed Beaufort West Speaker and DA’s Derick Welgemoed through a motion of no confidence.
The parties have since elected Letticia Davids to the position during Wednesday’s council meeting, which they said was called by the majority of councillors.
“We were firm: we went to a by-election on 21 April 2021. The ANC candidate won by 350 votes as we retained our majority in the council. The voters showed their confidence in us at the polls and we had to respond. We remain committed to our developmental objectives. We are also still committed to turn around the municipality’s financial position and response to service delivery,” said ANC Central Karoo regional secretary Winde Plaatjie.
The ANC Youth League’s provincial organiser, Zukile Lambert, was appointed to the Mayoral Committee, while all vacant senior positions were filled with the appointing of a Director Infrastructure & Engineering and CFO. The two new appointees are expected to start on Monday.
“We are serious about stabilising the municipality and giving the people of Beaufort West service delivery that they can be proud of,” said Plaatjie.
But DA east region chairperson, Tertius Simmers said his party condemned the ANC/KDF-coalition’s “illegal removal” of Welgemoed.
“On April 23, 2021, the ANC/KDF-coalition sent a letter to the Speaker in which they requested a council meeting to remove him as Speaker. Their notice did not comply with the requirements, as specified in the Council’s Rules of Order, and could not convene the council meeting.
“Subsequently, the Beaufort West Mayor, Mr Noel Constable, gave the administration an order to convene a council meeting, which the acting Municipal Manager then actioned. At yesterday’s (Wednesday) illegal council meeting, the Speaker informed the relevant coalition parties that their notice did not comply with the requirements to convene a council meeting and that the meeting, and all decisions made at the meeting, will not be legal.”
Simmers said Welgemoed then adjourned the meeting but the ANC and KDF decided to continue to elect a new Speaker, with the acting Municipal Manager chairing the illegal proceedings.
He called on the Local Government MEC Anton Bredell, to address the matter immediately.
“The conduct of the ANC/KDF-coalition is a clear display of their absolute contempt of the council’s rules of conduct, and a complete disregard for the basic principles of democracy as enshrined in the Constitution,” he said.