GEORGE - "The Western Cape Treasury Department has questioned the dismissal of Ms Adele Potgieter, Chairman of the Independent Audit Committee of the George Munici-pality, and stated that she had indeed acted within the required charter of her work."

So said Mr Guy Harris, acting chairman of the Audit Committee in a report tabled at last week’s Town Council meeting.
Potgieter had been fired at a Town Council meeting held on 9 December, behind closed doors when the committee findings were apparently not to their liking. The ANC, supported by the ID, had voted for her dismissal and the DA against.
Harris added that the committee had mandated him to further research legal presentation. His quest for obtaining an independent legal opinion was however thwarted by Municipal Manager Mr Cecil Africa.
Upon enquiry on Monday, Africa admitted that this had been refused on the advice of Council’s legal advisor and Assistant Municipal Manager Adv Johan van Schalkwyk.

Harris said: "Attempts have subsequently been made by the remaining independent members to meet with Council, but these have been frustrated. Political divides and actions in the Council have placed undue pressure on senior management. This also affected the efficacy of internal investigations. It is hoped that in the interest of the municipal stakeholders the situation will normalise as soon as possible.
"Council summarily dismissed our chairperson as there was the perception that she had acted unilaterally and beyond the mandate of the Audit Committee. Western Cape Provincial Treasury has confirmed that we as the Audit Committee acted within the requirements of our charter to do the work. Treasury has confirmed they are also of the opinion that the right process was not followed by Council.
"Based on the draft minutes made available to the Attorney General, the independent members of the Audit Committee are of the opinion that due consideration was not gi-ven by Council to these reports.

"We hope that the findings and recommendations are executed in the near future. If we are also dismissed or forced to resign as a result of no longer being being able to carry out our mandate, we hope that the Auditor General and provincial authorities will follow through to ensure that appropriate action is taken against those involved.

"The Audit Committee asks that management retain their independence and are not seen to be aligning with one or other political party," said Harris in his report.
Africa responded by saying: "It is unnecessary for the Audit Committee to ask for impartiality when my administration and I have always been exactly that."
* The Audit Committee recommends among others that Africa be hauled over the coals for failing to negotiate the cost structure with Gauteng company Sobek Engineering who charged R300 000 for providing an independent opinion on the R80-million Waste Water Recycling Project. Africa rebutted this by saying that Speaker Bazil Petrus had been tasked to negotiate and finalise the investigation into alternatives by Sobek Engineering.
* The Audit Committee also re-commends that the Council meeting of 20 November, called by Speaker Petrus, be regarded as a fruitless expenditure. It was suggested that the latter should be held responsible for the costs.
* George Herald approached Treasury’s Henriëtte Robson for comment and is awaiting her response.

Photo: Ilse Schoonraad