A DA “take-over” of the ANC-led Oudtshoorn municipal council after a motion of no-confidence is illegal, the municipality said.
|||Cape Town - A DA “take-over” of the ANC-led Oudtshoorn municipal council after a motion of no-confidence is illegal, the Western Cape municipality said on Friday.
“The lawful council of Oudtshoorn is continuing the duties entrusted to it by the people of Oudtshoorn and continues to govern the greater Oudtshoorn,” speaker John Stoffels said in a statement.
“The administration is at full strength and continuing its duties unabatedly (sic).”
Earlier in the day, the Democratic Alliance announced it was taking over the African National Congress-run municipality after a motion of no-confidence was passed in the ruling party's representatives.
Stoffels said the council would take the matter to court.
“The necessary legal action is already in progress and council will ensure that all costs relating to the legal action will be recovered from the rogue councillors in their personal capacities.”
DA spokesman Mmusi Maimane said the party led the motion against the mayor, deputy mayor and speaker.
Five of 11 ANC councillors and Congress of the People councillors voted with the DA, following which a DA mayor, deputy mayor and speaker were elected.
After the council meeting, the five ANC members resigned and joined the DA, Maimane had said.
“The ANC councillors were clear regarding the reasons for their resignation. They are fed up with the bad service delivery, mismanagement and maladministration within the ANC-led municipality,” he said.
ANC provincial chair Marius Fransman could not immediately be reached for comment.
SABC news reported that ANC mayor Gordon April and four other ANC members walked out of the meeting “after a heated exchange of words” and that the council meeting proceeded without them.
Outside the council chambers, April reportedly claimed the meeting was illegal, however, the new leadership said it had proof that the high court had found other, similar, meetings lawful. - Sapa