PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - The ANC in Bitou has called for the stabilisation of the municipality after several weeks of political drama in the usually peaceful coastal holiday town.

This after a vote of no confidence in Bitou's speaker and deputy mayor; the deterioration of a coalition government; criminal complaints against, among others, the town's mayor over alleged "syphoning" of municipal funds and allegations of illegal council meetings and appointments.

ANC chief whip in Bitou Phakie Mbali said the party have now called on its "deployees" to stabalise the Bitou administration by, among others, "looking at the matter of the suspended municipal manager Thabo Ndlovu".

He added that the party believed Ndlovu had been "maliciously suspended" in December last year, just a month after the DA took control of Bitou Municipality.

After the local government election in 2016 the DA won 6 seats with 49% of the votes, the ANC 6 seats with 41% and the AUF a single seat with 5%. The AUF formed a coalition with the ANC to govern Bitou, but In May 2017 this coalition was ended and a new one was formed between the AUF and DA. A year later the coaltion has also soured and the AUF and ANC seem to have now rekindled the relationship.

"The unlawful suspension of Ndlovu was conducted as a witch hunt against black professionals by the DA. The ANC was not surprised by the act of the DA since they never approved his appointment only for the MEC [of local government] to make a U-turn [and conclude] that due process on his appointment was followed," Mbali said.

He added that the ANC/AUF government should not continue to waste public money on "frivolous charges that stand no chance to succeed".

"We call on council to conclude the appointment of the head of department for community service which has been vacant for over a year. We believe that the ANC/AUF government is moving in the right direction in bringing certainty and stability in the administration."

He also called on the "ANC/AUF government to Instill discipline and promote public service that is governed by Batho Pele (people first) principles".

"We call on the ANC/AUF government to promote accountability, something the DA failed to do by making sure all accountability structures are put in place and that municipal public account committee is chaired by the opposition as we can not be the referee and the player like the DA did during its time in office."

Mbali further said to have a responsive government they called on ANC/AUF government to establish section 80 committees to support the functions of the mayor which were dissolved by the DA when it took over. 

"We believe that Bitou is probably the only municipality in this province that does not have section 80 committees. Once again the ANC calls on leadership of council to promote good governance free of corruption."