GEORGE NEWS - A letter from the DA's Provincial Chairperson, Anton Bredell, in which he request the George DA caucus to wait for permission from the DA Federal Executive Committee (Fedex) before appointing a director of Corporate Services, were widely circulated on social media and made its way to the George council meeting last Thursday (31 May). The letter was addressed to the Acting Mayor (Charlotte Clarke), the Speaker (Gerrit Pretorius), the DA Chief Whip (Marlene Barnardt) and the caucus chairperson (Vincentius Muller).
SAC Councillor Bazil Petrus asked the Speaker Gerrit Pretorius to confirm the letter's authenticity and to read the content to Council. In the letter Bredell reminds them that the appointments needs to be signed off by Fedex. He asks on which grounds the DA caucus deviated from the selection committee's recommendation and asks why the caucus changed the selection panel's unanimous recommendation without taking it back to the selection panel? Read Bredell's comment below in Afrikaans.
According to information, the panel suggested the appointment of a white male candidate whilst the caucus had their minds set on a black individual, who is currently acting as director of Corporate Services.
Although the appointment of three directors for the various vacant positions in the three municipal departments, Corporate Services, Planning and Development and Electrotechnical Services were on the agenda at the last council meeting, none of those items were discussed.
In a press conference with two opposition parties, PBI Councillor Virgill Gericke said Bredell is issuing a letter, dictating that the process that was followed must be totally ignored and that the instructions of the DA Fedex should be followed.
"It is aggravating that the MEC of local government, who's department is directly charged with the responsibility of local government, is now issuing a political statement on behalf of the DA, in contravention with the local government act. This is in essence corrupt to its core when a party interferes with the administrative processes of government, undermining legislation that guides the appointment of directors and senior managers.
"Have the elected public representatives of the DA, the councillors, become stooges of the DA and forgot about their mandate?"
ANC Councillor Langa Langa asks that the requirements of the George Municipality, regarding the employment equity that should depict the demographics of the city, be met. ANC Chief Whip Nomawethu Jantjies said: "We have a qualified black official who is currently acting in the position. He is very competent. There is no reason why he shouldn't get the position."
Laat nuus: kommentaar van Anton Bredell
"Die brief is gerig aan die George-munisipaliteit se DA koukus in my hoedanigheid as DA voorsitter in die provinsie. Die DA gee nie vir rade opdrag oor wie om aan te stel en wie nie.
Die party is egter gestel daarop om te verseker dat belastingbetalers se belange so ver moontlik beskerm word.
As dit kom by aanstellings van senior amptenare moet die provinsiale minister dié aanstellings bekragtig, maar dikwels teen die tyd wat die saak voor 'n minister kom is die aanstelling reeds gemaak en die persoon is aangestel met 'n kontrak nog voor die minister en sy departement die kandidate kan goedkeur of afkeur.
Dié tekortkomings sal hopelik in die nuwe konsepwetgewing oor munisipaliteite reggestel word.
In George het ek ingetree as provinsiale voorsitter in 'n poging om 'n gebrekkige aanstellingsproses te beredder alvorens dit te ver gevorder het. Die brief is gestuur as 'n voorkomende maatreël omrede die koukus 'n besluit van die raad se keurkomitee verander het.
Dié keurkomitee het 'n sekere besluit geneem en dit het voorgekom dat die DA koukus besluit het om dit te verander. Vandaar die brief."
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