PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - The DA in Bitou has lashed out against, among others, mayor Peter Lobese, whose actions they believe “have made it impossible to provide service delivery” in Plettenberg Bay.
DA constituency head Donald Grant and DA caucus leader in Bitou Bill Nel said in a statement that the DA and Active United Front (AUF) coalition had in fact been broken by the AUF.
“The final straw was when the Lobese voted in an illegal council meeting on April 24 in support of a motion of no confidence in the DA speaker and the DA deputy mayor tabled by the ANC,” Grant said.
He added that this was a complete violation of the memorandum of understanding governing the coalition.
At the meeting ANC councillor Euan Wildeman was elected speaker, Lobese remained as mayor and ANC councillor Sandiso Gcabayi elected deputy mayor.
“The meeting was illegal on a number of procedural grounds. This was made clear beforehand to Lobese and all the councillors who, nevertheless, proceeded with the meeting.”
The DA councillors did not attend the meeting.
The DA has in the meantime applied for a court order declaring this meeting illegal.
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 with Lobese, becoming the Amayor.
In May 2017, Lobese left the ANC to form a new coalition with the DA citing corruption in the ANC as his reason.
“Given his situation as king maker, he was given the Executive Mayorship again.”
“After only ten months the ANC/AUF coalition had failed to deliver services, spent more than R9-million on fruitless and wasteful expenditure, decimated senior staff structures and caused rock bottom morale in the remaining officials.”
Grant and Nel said the coalition memorandum of agreement between the DA and AUF stressed, among others, the importance of service delivery to all Bitou communities and the elimination of all corruption.
“Given Lobese’s reason for leaving the ANC the DA was optimistic that these goals could be achieved.”
DA caucus leader in Bitou Bill Nel. Photos: Yolandé Stander
The two added in accordance with these goals, the DA initiated a forensic investigation into the affairs of Bitou.
“This investigation indicated serious illegal actions, wasteful and fruitless expenditure, corruption and fraud by the municipal manager, Thabo Ndlovu, senior heads of departments and officials in the mayor’s office.”
The Ndlovu and head of corporate services were suspended and disciplinary proceedings instituted against them.
“On 31 March Lobese voted with the ANC to prevent the extension of the contract of the acting municipal manager, Johnny Douglas, a highly regarded professional official deployed by the Minister of Local Government in the Western Cape after the suspension of Ndlovu.”
Grant and Nel added Lobese also voted with the ANC to stop the disciplinary proceedings against Ndlovu and to re-instate him.
“This was an illegal decision and the DA applied for a court declaratory order declaring it so and making the decision invalid. On advice from his lawyers, Lobese was obliged to remove Ndlovu from office and not oppose the court application.”
Grant said it had been a continuous problem for the DA working with Lobese “who habitually took unilateral decisions and actions without consultation with the DA, acted capriciously changing his mind on a whim and not abiding by decisions of the combined DA / AUF Caucus”.
“The actions of Lobese and Ndlovu, together with the serious staff situation, has made it impossible to provide service delivery and many serious issues have been neglected.”
He said there were sufficient grounds for some time for the DA to break the coalition, but it was decided that it would be in the best interests of Bitou to remain in the coalition to prevent corruption where possible and be in the position to obtain all necessary information to bring the perpetrators of corruption to book.
“As a result of the forensic investigation, serious criminal complaints have been laid with the police against Lobese, senior officials and officials in the mayor’s office. These charges include alleged illegal siphoning of money out of municipal accounts.”
He added that the “usual sad response from the AUF leadership” in a recent media statement that “the DA is a racist organisation” and only acts against black Africans as they are viewed as corrupt and incompetent” was “rejected with the contempt it deserves”.
“It is now inevitable that the DA will return to opposition but will continue to fight against corruption and push for service delivery for the people of Bitou.
Should the AUF leadership decide to replace Lobese and be willing to work constructively with the DA, the DA would once again be prepared to form a coalition with them.”
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