Cape Town - Despite several motions of no confidence against a number of its mayors, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has come out to gloat about successes achieved by the municipalities it had wrestled from the African National Congress (ANC).
DA leader Mmusi Maimane, joined by four mayors from different DA-led municipalities said the party had managed to turn around finances of the municipalities.
“Previous ANC administrations left behind a sea of debt. Drakenstein, Midvaal, Kouga, Modimolle-Mookgophong and Thabazimbi are an inspirational story of DA governments that turned financial wastelands into thriving local towns for all South Africans,” said Maimane.
Maimane was joined by the Drakenstein, Conrad Poole, Kouga mayor Horatio Hendricks, Modimolle-Mookgophong mayor Marlene Van Staden, and the Speaker of Thabazimbi Bertie Joubert.
Poole alluded to the fact that over 2000 jobs were created in the municipality this year through the Expanded Public Works Programme and opportunities created through a Community Work Programme (CWP).
While Thabazimbi Municipality acknowledged the challenging nature of a coalition government.
The DA went into coalition with the EFF in 2016, to dethrone the ANC.
Maimane said the party was still committed to service delivery despite clashes in coalition, and huge debt from the previous ANC administration.
“Only 54 of the 100 legal cases remain and in the past year alone, R66.9 million of the previous administration’s debt has been cleared with Eskom, and continued pressure has ensured that the Special Investigation Unit’s report into maladministration and corruption at TLM will soon be delivered.
“The successful passing of the local government’s 2018/19 budget and IDP is another positive marker of a DA-led government that has turned around a bankrupt municipality into a clean government,” said Maimane.
Despite the DA-led municipalities performing, several of its mayors have drawn criticism in the metros.
In Cape Town, mayor Patricia de Lille has announced her resignation following several court battles, public spats with senior leaders and failed motions of no confidence.
In George, disciplinary proceedings against George Mayor Melvin Naik are underway. Naik has been charged for bringing the party into disrepute following alleged homophobic comments he made on a local radio station earlier this year.
Two DA mayors Evert Manuel of Berg River Municipality and Matzikama’s Rhenda Stephan resigned after motions of no confidence were tabled against them.
Meanwhile, Knysna Mayor Mark Willemse is also set to face a disciplinary hearing at the end of this month.