Update

BITOU NEWS - Western Cape MEC for Local Government Anton Bredell has weighed in on the recent controversial shift in power from the ANC to the DA. During a special council meeting about two weeks ago, DA caucus leader Bill Nel was elected mayor and several other positions changed hands, including ANC Deputy Mayor Sandiso Gcabayi being booted out and replaced by the DA's Nomphumeleo Ndayi and Speaker Euan Wildeman being removed and replaced by former Bitou mayor Peter Lobese.

The Bitou council has been in a precarious position since the last local government elections which saw the DA obtain six seats in council, the ANC another six and the AUF one. This led to several controversial coalitions between the AUF and the two other parties.

Lobese was then elected as mayor, until he got the boot following a recent vote of no confidence.

Lobese however joined forces with the DA once again and by so doing gave the party the majority vote to elect Nel as mayor and replace the speaker and deputy mayor.

The ANC has however rubbished the DA's actions, stating that the meeting in which the new positions had been filled, was illegal.

Bredell

"Mr Bill Nel was elected to be the mayor of Bitou. There is currently a court action pending relating the matter. This action was brought by opposition parties in the council," Bredell said.

He added that despite this, council decisions can still be made. "For a council to be quorate, a majority of councillors must be present at a meeting of council before a vote may be taken on any matter. This is legislatively required in terms of the Municipal Structures Act."

Council meetings

The former speaker, Euan Wildeman, has however since the move scheduled council meetings, which were not attended by the DA councillors and Lobese.

Nel said that it was concerning that Wildeman continued to schedule these council meetings. "He no longer has the mandate from Council to do so," Nel said.

He added that the six ANC councillors also failed to attend a council meeting scheduled by Lobese on 28 May. "The Bitou administration was advised timeously to circulate this notice to all councillors. The amended time of the meeting was in fact circulated directly to all councillors by e-mail on the morning of the meeting."

Nel said the majority of councillors do however note that the ANC councillors had filed court papers challenging the recent shift in power. "We await the decision of the court."