GEORGE NEWS - Councillors will now have to pay up should they step out of line - either within their communities, or in council. Speakers of councils may no longer ignore bad behavior either.
This comes after new regulations for councillors have been gazetted on 14 June under the Local Government: Municipal Systems Amendment Bill by Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Thembi Nkadimeng. The aim of these regulations is to restore order and confidence in city councils.
Speaker of George Council Sean Snyman said he applauds the latest regulations which reinforce the rule of law and uphold the respect of ratepayers who trust councillors to represent their interests.
"The new regulations, coupled with the Municipal Structures Act, are a significant stride towards a new level of consequence management," said Snyman.
"As someone who values discipline, respect, and ethics, I welcome the government's recognition that change was necessary. The new Code of Conduct now requires councillors to focus on the business of the day during meetings. The regulations are explicit on what is expected of councillors, and how they should conduct themselves in a manner that befits their position.
"I believe that strict implementation of these regulations will help councillors understand the gravity of their positions and focus on serving the entire community."
New regulations
Among the new regulations it is stipulated that a councillor must at all times act in the best interest of the municipality and in such a way that the credibility and integrity of the municipality are not compromised. They also need to maintain good and orderly behaviour during meetings.
If a councillor is known to or has been seen to have orchestrated with a group of members of the public or municipal staff to engage in violent protests or labour unrest against the municipality, such councillor must be disciplined by the municipal council for breach of the Code; criminal charges must be laid with the South African Police Services regarding any loss or damage suffered by the municipality as a result of such protest or strike. Costs must be recovered from the councillor and cannot be written off.
If a councillor's behaviour is unruly, including when such councillor assaults or threatens to assault an official or another councillor or any other person present at the meeting, the chairperson must order the councillor to immediately leave the meeting; and if the councillor fails to obey the order, request a law enforcement official employed by the municipality to remove the councillor from the meeting.
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