GEORGE NEWS - George Mayor Leon van Wyk has defended the decision to continue to host virtual city council meetings.
This follows a letter from Virgill Gericke, PBI-member of council, to Anton Bredell, Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Western Cape in which he demands answers. (See Gericke's full letter below).
In the letter Gericke writes that the Covid-19 pandemic has forced the municipality and institutions to make extraordinary adjustments in order to avert a massive outbreak of infections and deaths.
But, in light of the recent suspension of all lockdown levels and promulgated regulations that then normalised human interaction, the PBI insists that all activities return to a pre-lockdown state of affairs - including face to face council meetings.
"It is with regret to inform you that the George Council speaker has again issued a notice for a council meeting to take place on MS Teams on 28 July 2022 @ 10:00. These virtual meetings have caused a tremendous amount of problems in every council or committee meetings, due to reception problems, data shortage, sound distortion etc."
Gericke further writes that it is worth noting that some committee and mayco meetings have returned to normal and are held in council chambers.
In response to questions from the George Herald Van Wyk said the municipal manager and speaker have been made aware of the letter via the George Herald's media enquiry and have not received the letter officially. (See Van Wyk's full response below).
He said the Covid-19 pandemic has meant that all private and government institutions have had to adapt to doing business differently. "The George council has successfully transitioned to holding meetings virtually with all councillors well-equipped with the required tools of the trade, more than adequate monthly data allowances and repeated training provided by the internal IT division.
"As one of the leading intermediate cities, it is required of the George political and administrative leadership to execute projects rapidly and efficiently. Other large cities have accordingly adapted their meeting processes to ensure efficiency in decision-making. It is important to note that prior to the 2011 elections, George had a 39-member council. In 2021, Council grew by 40% to a 55-member council, a growth of over 40%," said Van Wyk.
A recent Health and Safety assessment requested by Municipal Manager Dr Michelle Gratz has confirmed that the existing council chambers located on the second floor of the main municipal building are not large enough for a full council meeting, with the attendance of the required officials totalling 70 persons. In terms of SANS 10400, the council chamber can accommodate 33 persons.
The inadequate size is not the only health and safety issue. The existing fire escape route also doesn't meet the requirements for evacuation, given that during council meetings the main building is fully occupied with officials.
Van Wyk noted that although councillors are fully aware that a larger chamber has not been budgeted for yet, there are some councillors who appear to put their own comfort needs above the service needs of the citizens.
He said to host a council meeting in the town hall would cost an average of R65 000 per meeting and cannot be justified when the online meetings are an efficient and cost-effective solution.
Bredell's office confirmed that he has received Gericke's letter. (See full response below.)
His spokesperson, Wouter Kriel, pointed out that the speaker of council decides when and where a council meeting takes place. Given the facts provided, Bredell will write to the speaker of George, Sean Snyman, to give him an opportunity to react to the matters raised by Gericke.
Virgill Gericke's letter to MEC Anton Bredell:
The recent covid pandemic has forced the Municipality and institutions in our country to make extraordinary adjustments in order to avert a massive outbreak of infections and deaths.
As you are aware, covid regulations were promulgated and different lockdown levels were instituted according to information received from the Natjoc.
The President of the Republic of South Africa, His Excellency Cyril Ramaphosa has recently lifted all lockdown levels and promulgated regulations that normalized the situation in the entire country. There were no exceptions or special provisions to deviate from taking the country back to normal. Our interpretation is that everything should return as was before the lockdown of 2019.
It is with regret to inform you that the George Council speaker has again issued a notice for a council meeting to take place on MS Teams on 28 July 2022 @ 10:00. These virtual meetings have caused a tremendous amount of problems in every council or committee meetings, due to reception problems, data shotage, sound distortion etc.
The undertaking was given that, the moment the President announce the end of lockdown, business of council will return to normal. This as per the Speaker.
It is worth noting that some committee and mayco meetings have returned to normal and are held in the council chambers. The issue of opening up the meetings for Councillors and the public, have been raised in many whips meetings, where the Speaker was present. The undertaking was repeated that meetings will normalize.
There are now suddenly so many excuses as to why the council meetings may not be held physically in the council chambers.
It is also to be noted that, at virtually every meeting, members of the opposition have been muted, bullied, humiliated and eventually expelled from meetings. Most of the time without reason and charges against us. This, we believe, is a strategy of a very incompetent executive to deal with critical issues of service delivery, when confronted by the opposition.
The situation has become untenable for many members of the DA, opposition and the public at large. Our council meetings have become a circus under the current Speaker. His incorrect interpretation of the rules and legislation, have made us the laughing stock of the town.
It has also inflicted a lot of pain to those whom we speak for, as they are being deprived from services when their elected office bearers are being ejected from meetings or humiliated.
We believe that physical meetings will restore respect, discipline and order again. The Speaker has not provided us with official reasons for his refusal to open the council chambers.
The latest story was that the sound system in the chamber is not working. I mean, this is now three years later. They have organized our inaugural meeting in the civic hall. Nothing stops them to do the same in the event there's a delay due to the sound system.
We are writing to you as concerned Councillors and opposition to invoke your powers as MEC for local government and intervene with immediate effect in order to normalise the situation in George. We submit that the current situation is being abused to serve an agenda that only the executive will know of.
No Councillor may exercise his/her oversight role if we are consistently muted, removed or expelled from council meetings. This is certainly to the detriment of the electorate and community at large. It is an integral part of our democratic, Constitutional dispensation that Councillors must speak for their communities.
The current arrangement with the virtual meetings makes it almost impossible to contribute constructively and engage on critical issues of service delivery.
We trust that your office will urgently investigate the refusal of the Speaker to return to the council chambers. We have no other remedy than to approach your office. We have not seen any communication from the chief Whip of council or the mayor to request the speaker to normalise the situation, hence our urgent appeal to your office.
Mayor Leon van Wyk's full response:
The Municipal Manager and Speaker have been made aware of the letter via this media enquiry and have not received the letter officially. The Covid-19 pandemic has meant that all private and government institutions have had to adapt to doing business differently. The George Council has successfully transitioned to holding meetings virtually with all Councillors well-equipped with the required tools of the trade, more than adequate monthly data allowances and repeated training provided by the internal IT division.
“As one of the leading intermediate cities, it is required of the George political and administrative leadership to execute projects rapidly and efficiently. Other large cities have accordingly adapted their meeting processes to ensure efficiency in decision-making. It is important to note that prior to the 2011 elections, George had a 39 Member council. In 2021, Council grew by 40% to a 55-member council, a growth of over 40%,” said Ald Van Wyk.
A recent Health and Safety Assessment requested by the Municipal Manager; Dr Gratz has confirmed that the existing council chambers located on the second floor of the main municipal building are inadequate in terms of size with a full council including the required officials taking attendance to 70 persons. In terms of SANS 10400, the number of persons who can be accommodated in the Council Chamber are 33 persons.
The inadequate size is not only a health and safety issue but in terms of the existing fire escape route, given that during Council the main building is currently fully occupied with officials, does not meet the requirements for evacuation.
Other issues prevalent in the current council chambers include inadequate electrical points, replacement of existing damaged sound system, microphones not working during loadshedding and the ongoing risk of Covid-19 which is addressed by Government Notice R2191.
The rectification of these issues will require expenditure that cannot be justified, in a venue that is already deemed inadequate in size. The costs to host Council meetings in the Town Hall runs at an average cost of R65 000 per meeting and equally cannot be justified when the Online Meetings are an efficient and cost-effective solution.
Van Wyk noted that although councillors are fully aware that a larger council chamber has not been budgeted for as yet, there are some Councillors who appear to put their own comfort needs above the service needs of the citizens.”
Wouter Kriel on behalf of Anton Bredell full response:
Ja, ons kantoor het e-pos kommunikasie van Raadslid Gericke oor hierdie kwessie ontvang.
In terme van die Munisipale Struktuur Wet 117 van 1998, is dit die bevoegdheid van die Speaker van die Raad om te besluit wanneer en waar die Raad moet vergader. Verder maak die Reëls van Orde van die George Munisipaliteit voorsiening vir virtuele vergaderings. Die Speaker moet die redes bepaal hoekom ‘n sitting virtueel moet plaasvind.
Onthou ook die Konstitusionele beginsel dat nie Nasionale, of Provinsiale, regering mag inmeng met ‘n plaaslike regering se magte om sy funksies te verrig nie.
Met al die bogenoemde inaggenome, sal Minister Bredell ‘n skrywe aan die Speaker rig om hom te versoek om op die kwessies soos deur Raadslid Gericke geopper, te reageer. Dit sal dan ook vir die Speaker die geleentheid gee om sy denke en beweegredes te verduidelik in hierdie verband.
'We bring you the latest George, Garden Route news'
