MAYIBONGWE MAQHINA
The ANC in the Western Cape has clinched coalition agreements with small parties to run three hung municipalities in the province.
ANC provincial spokesperson Sifiso Mtsweni said in a statement that his party welcomed the historic coalition formed with their coalition partners, the Patriotic Alliance, the Karoo Gemeenskap Party and Karoo Democratic Force in Laingsburg on Monday.
Mtsweni said coalition governments were also set to be formed in the Prince Albert Municipality on Tuesday and in the Beaufort West Municipality on Wednesday.
“In all these municipalities, working together with our coalition partners, we will constitute the councils as per the agreements reached.
“As soon as the municipalities have met, the Central Karoo District Municipal Council will convene,” he said.
Mtsweni said the coalitions agreements were based on principled commitment by partners to ensure service delivery, good governance, redress in favour of the poor, accountability of officials, anti-corruption and stability.
“The ANC wishes to commend the Patriotic Alliance, the Karoo Gemeenskap Party and Karoo Democratic Force for this historic agreement which was reached in good faith.
“The Patriotic Alliance, in particular, together has agreed to work with the ANC in all other municipalities in the province which we will soon update on,” he said.
Mtsweni also said it was now time to build the communities in the Central Karoo working together and to serve the people with humility and ensure clean and accountable government.
He also said the ANC would take the speaker position and representative to the district municipality, Patriotic Alliance mayorship and Karoo Gemeenskap Party deputy mayor position.
Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie took to Twitter to announce that their councillor, Mitchell Smith, was the mayor in Laingsburg.
“This is history for our party. This is the first ever mayor from our party,” he said.
”The Patriotic Alliance would like to congratulate our first mayor upon his inauguration after the #LGE2021,” McKenzie said.
Last Thursday, the Cederberg Municipality in the Western Cape became the first hung council in the country for parties to enter into a coalition agreement.
The DA, Freedom Front Plus and Cederberg First Residents Association entered into a five-year coalition agreement.
POLITICAL BUREAU