Good: Chat box a mood killer

GEORGE NEWS - The George council meeting last Thursday, 28 July, continued in stop/go style at first, with three Good councillors removed from the virtual platform in quick succession for ignoring the chat box to pose their questions.

The mood was set shortly after the mayoral address with a statement from Good's caucus leader Donovan Saptoe, when he accused Mayor Leon van Wyk of being a mayor for himself and the DA.

"You are keeping 40% of the community in the dark," said Saptoe. "How can the people of George trust you if you can't even manage a proper meeting in the council chambers? You cannot bring this town and the politics back to normality."

Saptoe said the Good Party feels strongly about a return of council meetings to the council chambers. This view is supported by the PBI, whose leader, Virgill Gericke, recently wrote to the Minister of Local Government about the matter.

Van Wyk last week defended the decision to have virtual city council meetings, saying all councillors are well-equipped with the required tools to hold virtual meetings. He said the size of the current council chamber is inadequate to accommodate a full council with officials, and a larger council chamber has not been budgeted for yet.

Each council meeting hosted in the more spacious town hall, costs the taxpayer a whopping R65 000.

The chat box

Saptoe maintains that councillors can't represent their communities from the sideline. "We have to sit in council so that the public can see what is going on in council. Currently, councillors must communicate in the chat box to raise a point of order. The public can't see what we query, because the chat box is not visible on YouTube."

One hour and thirteen minutes into the meeting, Good's Richard Hector was removed from the platform. Four minutes later Good's Theresa Jeyi followed suit, with Saptoe short on her heals.

Speaker Sean Snyman was not taking any prisoners. "It is clear that certain councillors do not want this meeting to continue," he said.

"Jeyi is challenging the speaker. We are not going to get into a political debate in this meeting, but to discuss the agenda items. The fact that Hector said he wants me removed [from town] is a direct threat to me."

Snyman warned others who speak out of turn: "Councillors who are in breach of the rules of order will be fined. We are supposed to be the leaders of this town and it is my task to make sure members conduct themselves in a dignified manner."

George Speaker Sean Snyman Photo: Michelle Pienaar