GEORGE - The ANC’s dethroning of George DA Mayor, Flip de Swardt at Wednesday’s ordinary Town Council meeting was swift. It was all over in 30 minutes but it has been predicted that it will have far reaching effects for the town. The ANC’s motion of no confidence carried with 21 votes in favour and none against, as the DA councillors had left the council chambers minutes earlier - in protest.
A strained looking De Swardt sat impassively, showing no emotion when ANC Chief Whip Castro Loholo read out the motivation for the motion. He stated that there had been a maladministration in governance for which De Swardt as political head should be held responsible.
Loholo cited major issues as reason for the sacking. Mayor De Swardt’s failure to act on the traffic report findings; the handling of the water crisis and the failure to implement the DISK project (integration of the IT systems) had all reflected a poor administration.

There was a moment of indecisiveness when Speaker Bazil Petrus posed the question as to whether a secret vote should be held, and also on whether it was necessary at all to vote, when there were no votes against the motion.
The moment of truth came when the ID, who had been locked into a coalition agreement with the DA for the past three years, raised their hands, voting with the ANC. Surprisingly, ACDP’s Hannes Alberts also voted for the motion.
In doing so, they revealed their hand. Deputy Mayor Mercia Draghoender earlier this week said that she would only go according to what her leader, Mrs Patricia de Lille, instructs her to do. It has been spe-culated whether Draghoender or Petrus would be the next mayor. Draghoender dismissed rumours that relations between her and the latter were strained as nonsense. "I do not have ambitions to be mayor of George," she asserted.

The clear breakaway from the coalition agreement had ID supporters cheering with glee from the public gallery. This clearly did not sit well with minority parties like the FF+ who vouched never to vote with the ANC.
Clr Grobbie Grobler said: "This will have far reaching effects for George and the entire province. It is clear that the ID is willing to side with the ANC. I cannot stomach the twisting of facts. I for one now have to clear my office. This means the entire DA governance has fallen and has to make way for the ANC."
When the voting was over, Speaker Petrus announced: "We are not leaderless. We have Deputy Mayor Mercia Draghoender to step into the position."

Loholo said afterwards that a clear turnaround in the administration was needed. "For us it is not about power, but it’s all about putting service delivery back on track. There are lots of opportunities to improve governance. There can be better communication on all levels and transparency. De Swardt had interfered too much in the administration," said Loholo.
A mayor will be elected at a meeting to be convened soon. The mayor will appoint a new mayoral committe and other committees.

Article: Pauline Lourens
Photos: Ilse Schoonraad


All the members of the Mayor’s Executive Committee have lost their positions after DA Mayor Flip de Swardt was voted out. Freedom Front member and former Councillor for Sport, Grobbie Grobler on his way to vacate his office.


ID and ANC supporters show their jubilance at the ousting of former Mayor Flip de Swardt. Boisterous comments were hurled from ID supporters in the public gallery at the DA and De Swardt.