Brett Heron, Good Party’s Secretary-General, has opened up a case against Mayor Dan Plato, stating that he had contravened Level 4 regulations which prohibits gatherings.
Herron said, in hosting the Mayoral Community Service Awards this week, Plato defied the regulations, and they called for his resignation.
Advocate Rod Solomons, the convenor of the South Africa First Forum, echoed the same sentiments calling on police to take the necessary steps and for a charge of transgression to be laid under the Disaster Management Act.
Plato’s office has hit back, stating the event was cancelled and that recipients had only gathered to collect their awards along with a take-away meal.
This was echoed by recipients as well, who said they had to “pick and go.”
In a press release sent to the media, Herron said: “The complaint, filed at Cape Town Police Station, follows the City hosting a series of at least 24 gatherings on Tuesday evening – less than 48 hours after President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation to announce a total prohibition of gatherings due to the resurgent Covid pandemic.
“Plato’s gatherings – a main event at the Civic Centre, and 24 satellite events – were ostensibly to celebrate what the City called “Mayoral Community Service Awards” but smacked of crude DA electioneering.
“The events were attended by award recipients and councillors, in person, instead of being hosted virtually, as has become common to restrict physical gatherings in South Africa and across the world.
“In a bizarre concession to lockdown regulations, instead of those attending the gatherings enjoying sit-down meals, they were invited to attend the awards in person but then given takeaways to eat later in safety.
“It defies belief, with the country in the grips of a highly contagious resurgence of the Covid-19 virus – the third wave – that the Mayor and City of Cape Town should rank political aspirations above citizens’ health.
“The Mayor doesn’t appear to understand that the regulations prohibit all social, political and other gatherings, regardless of how those who attend eat their meals.
“The Mayor’s conduct in proceeding with the events was irresponsible, reckless and dangerous. His actions placed the City’s speedy pathway out of this relatively hard lockdown in jeopardy and risked a delayed reopening of businesses in the restaurant and hospitality sector.”
“Plato is incompetent and should resign. I expect the police and NPA to act swiftly in investigating and prosecuting the complaint,” Herron said.
Advocate Solomons called for Plato to face criminal action: “The Mayor and his councillors and officials who arranged this must account, and we call on the SAPS to take the necessary action against them. We call on people who live in the areas where these gatherings happened/or civil society organisations to go to their local police stations and lay a charge of transgression of the Disaster Management Act regulations relating to gatherings.
“No one is above the law, and someone like a mayor must lead by example.
Greg Wagner, Mayoral Media Manager, said the law had not been contravened and quoted sections from the regulations and that there was no gathering but a collection of awards.
“As previously mentioned, the original event that was to host 50 guests at each of the venues in compliance with level 3 regulations was cancelled following the announcement of the level 4 regulations.
“There was no gathering, and the mayor’s speech was recorded so that it could be shared with the recipients at a later stage, as the sit-down dinner was cancelled. Recipients collected their awards from each of the sub- council offices, and as there was no event, they left immediately after collecting their awards.
“For your background: Section 21 of the latest regulations states that all gatherings are prohibited, except (5) gatherings at a workplace for work purposes are allowed, subject to strict adherence to all health protocols and social distancing measures.”
According to Dawn Roode, one of the recipients, she said she had only collected her award.
“It was no lavish event, it was just pick up and go, and your food was given as take-away,” she said.
Police spokesperson Colonel Andre Traut confirmed a case was opened at Cape Town Central Police Station: “This office can confirm that a criminal case relating to the regulations of the Disaster Management Act was reported at Cape Town Central today.
“The circumstances surrounding the matter are being investigated.
“The identities of the parties concerned can, however, not be disclosed.”
Weekend Argus