The DA in the Western Cape plans to approach the Electoral Court for a recount in the Witzenberg Municipality despite the council being among the last remaining six to be constituted before Tuesday’s deadline.
The hotly-contested municipality in the Cape Winelands District is the only holdout in ensuring the DA retains control of the District Municipality.
According to insiders, the party believes a decision by the IEC to refuse a recount in some voting districts was not rational. A recount could see the party earn another seat.
DA Federal Chairperson Ivan Meyer confirmed to Weekend Argus they would be approaching the Electoral Court, but would not be drawn on details.
Electoral Commission of South Africa spokesperson, Trevor Davids, said while he was not aware of the specific matter, the DA was well within its right to approach the Electoral Court for a review.
The party, which currently has eight seats, would need a minimum of 11 to form a coalition government in the 23-seat council.
The municipality is scheduled to hold its inaugural meeting tomorrow morning.
George, Cape Agulhas, Knysna, Langeberg and Theewaterskloof municipalities are also scheduled to hold their meetings tomorrow to elect a new executive.
While the DA is sure of their numbers and alliances in George, Cape Agulhas and Langeberg, coalition agreements are shakier for the other municipalities.
Knysna, which held its first meeting last Monday, had to postpone to tomorrow after votes for both the DA and ANC were tied, at 10 each, after the EFF abstained from the vote.
If the same results persist, spokesperson for the municipality Nwabisa Pondoyi said a coin flip might be used to determine who the new speaker is.
Theewaterkloof’s first meeting this past week descended into chaos when ANC councillors reportedly got into a scuffle with an EFF councillor. Video clips of heated verbal sparring were circulated on social media, along with one where the scuffle ensued.
“What happened in Theewaterskloof is an example of the depths that the ANC has sunk to in its attempts to cling to power, despite the voters having decided otherwise,” said the DA’s Cilliers Brinks.
“The ANC sought to disrupt the proceedings of the meeting from the start, after the party refused to allow the current municipal manager to oversee the meeting, and then later resorting to violence. ANC councillors were seen turning over tables and allegedly physically attacking an EFF councillor when it became clear that she would not vote in support of them.
“The ANC lacks the political maturity to accept democratic processes and will not hesitate to resort to undemocratic tactics if it means it can get into power."
According to the Patriotic Alliance, their power sharing agreement with the ANC would secure a mayoral position for the party.
The ANC’s Sifiso Mtsweni said the party condemned the actions of the councillors who disrupted the proceedings.
“The extended interim provincial committee (IPC) mandated the working committee, together with officials, to attend to this matter and reprimand ANC councillors who were involved in that scuffle,” he said.
Mtsweni said coalition talks in hung councils would continue until the last minute.
“The discussions are ongoing, but we should have some agreements in place by Sunday evening,” he said.
“But the approach we are taking is that we will not get into coalitions just for the sake of governing. We can give assurance that the remaining councils will constitute, the councils will sit and there will not be an ANC that walks out or abstains from votes even if those votes are not in our favour.”
Failure of a municipality to constitute and elect a new executive could see the MEC for Local Government, Anton Bredell, enact section 139 of the Municipal Structures Act, which allows him to intervene.