ANC retains Drakenstein
2008-10-30
May Saal
THE rebel councillors within the ANC were all expelled this week, ensuring that the party retained control of the Drakenstein Town Council.
At a special council meeting yesterday a no confidence motion by rebel councillors and the opposition was declared invalid because its supporters did not have a majority in the Council.
"Due to the five ANC councillors that were expelled earlier this week, this motion no longer has a 50 plus percentage support and I therefore declare this motion invalid,” Mgajo said.
The motion was signed last week by six rebel ANC councillors and opposition councillors (32 signatures).
One of the rebel ANC councillors, Colin van der Westhuizen, later withdrew his support of the motion.
Due to the expulsion of five of the ANC councillors, the motion carried only 27 signatures, while 29 would have constituted a majority.
The opposition parties (DA, ID, WCC, Freedom Front Plus and ACDP) supported the motion to remove Charmaine Manuel (ma- yor), Wilhelm Nothnagel (deputy mayor) and Sikhumbuzo Mgajo (speaker).
Only one of the expelled ANC councillors, Van der Berg Pienaar, attended the meeting.
He stood between the councillors and the public seats when the Speaker asked him to take a seat.
“I see one person is still standing. Can you please take a seat in the public section Mr Van der Berg Pienaar,” Mgajo said.
Replied Pienaar: “Not Mister Pienaar, I am Councillor Pienaar. I don’t see my name at the councillors’ seats and that’s why I am standing,” the expelled Pienaar said.
The Speaker stated that Pienaar had been expelled and that the matter would not be discussed any further. The meeting lasted only 15 minutes.
This is the second time in 18 months that the opposition attempts to wrest control of the council from the ANC, by tabling a motion of no confidence.
Last year in April, they succeeded when the ID threw in its weight with the DA, to defeat the ANC in a number of motions.
After the floor-crossing period in September last year, however, the ANC took control again.
Five by-elections to replace the expelled ANC councillors will be held in January next year.
The ANC is unlikely to lose its grip on Drakenstein unless it loses most of the by-elections.
* The deceased DA councillor Sarah Douw was replaced by Eva Gouws as councillor.
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