By Eleanor Quinta – DA Councillor Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipality
Note to editors: Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by Cllr Eleanor Quinta and Sesotho soundbite by Cllr Tlalane Motaung
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Maluti-a-Phofung (MaP) strongly condemns the Speaker’s attempts to block an urgent Special Council Meeting. Once again, ANC factional infighting is disrupting governance and harming communities.
Due to the Speaker’s apparent unwillingness to convene the Special Council Meeting required to approve key reports, the Municipal Manager (MM) has been compelled to step in and call the meeting himself. Disturbingly, the speaker appears intent on opposing this move, though his motives remain unclear.
According to Section 2(a) of the Municipal Finance Management Act, these reports must be presented to the council by 31 January each year. Furthermore, Rule 4 of MaP’s Standing Rules and Orders grants the Municipal Manager the authority to convene a council meeting should the Speaker be unable or unwilling to do so—particularly when legislated deadlines are at stake.
The reports in question include the Mid-Year Budget Report, Performance Report, IDP Schedule, and Annual Report. These documents are crucial for maintaining a well-functioning municipality and ensuring effective service delivery to residents.
The Speaker’s reluctance to facilitate this essential meeting raises serious concerns about his commitment to good governance and service delivery. His failure to act undermines the smooth running of the council and the public’s trust in him.
The DA urges all democratically elected councillors to attend the meeting called by the Municipal Manager and uphold their duty to ensure that the municipality operates within the law.
Our communities deserve accountability and efficiency—not political power struggles that hinder progress.