Sudden postponement
2007-10-18
May Saal
IN an unprecedented step, the Mayor of Cape Winelands District Municipality, Clarence Johnson postponed the council meeting unexpectedly on Monday and sent everybody home due to “a shortage of co-operation between councillors”.
“I postponed the meeting to give the different political parties the opportunity to finish their negotiations regarding their co-operation agreements.
“The posponement of the meeting is constitutionally lawful and will take place next week Wednesday,” Johnson said.
It was widely expected that the ANC would take control of the council with the assistance of the NPP, as it has lost its outright majority.
The composition of the council is currently ANC 16, DA 13, NPP 3, ID 2 and FF 1.
At this meeting the reconstitution of the Cape Winelands District Municipality, the election of the Mayor, the Deputy Mayor and the appointment of members of the Mayoral Committee by the Mayor, were to take place.
Matters became complicated when, on Monday morning, the Overberg District Council in Bredasdorp was taken over by the DA in co-operation with the National People's Party (NPP), leaving the ANC with empty hands.
The DA took the Mayor's and Speaker's posts and the NPP obtained the deputy mayorship.
In Cape Winelands, negotiations behind the scenes continue, as the ANC searches for a coalition partner to obtain a majority of 17. With uncertainty about the loyalties of the NPP, everyone is now tightlipped.
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