Breaking News Update
BITOU NEWS - Bitou has a new mayor after former mayor Peter Lobese was ousted following a vote of no confidence more than a month ago.
During a special council meeting, which was attended by only seven of the 13 councillors, DA caucus leader in Bitou Bill Nel was elected mayor. Lobese, of the AUF, supported the DA vote.
Nel said in a statement that the situation in Bitou was likely to remain unstable for weeks as there would “almost certainly be legal challenges by the ANC and resistance from senior members of the ANC-captured administration”.
“The priority now is to ensure stability in the administration, particularly in the service delivery departments,” Nel said.
“An acting municipal manager must be appointed urgently, followed by a support team seconded by the MEC for local government in the Western Cape.”
He added that the Ebenezer, Qolweni, Kurland and Green Valley housing projects needed to be kept on track and should be handed over to the provincial Ministry of Human Settlements as soon as possible to ensure that these projects do not stall.
“A number of long outstanding disciplinary matters which have been fully investigated need to be completed urgently.”
Nel added the budget should be redrafted completely as, in its present form, it is “not a zero based, service delivery oriented budget”.
Read more in Knysna-Plett Herald and online.
Previous articles:
'We bring you the latest Plettenberg Bay, Garden Route news'
