Media statement by the Majority of Councillors in Oudtshoorn

DA and ANC councillors agree on government support for Oudtshoorn

Friday 5 June 2015

Today, 20 out of the 25 councillors in Oudtshoorn, the entire DA Caucus as well as 7 of the 10 councillors from the ANC signed a letter to Minister Pravin Gordhan and MEC Anton Bredell, expressing our support for the proposed “Support and Good Governance” package for the Oudtshoorn municipality.

In the letter we state that our concern about the state of the municipality transcends Party affiliation and that we commit to work together to create a functional and responsive municipality.

We also state that we do not support any litigation or court action by Oudtshoorn municipality against the national or the provincial government. We believe that too much taxpayers’ money had already been wasted on unnecessary litigation by the opposition alliance in an attempt to stay in power, despite having the minority seats in the Council.

We distance ourselves unequivocally from any attempt to stop the national or the provincial government from supporting the municipality or intervening in terms of the Constitution.

The people of Oudtshoorn have suffered for too long. It is time that they get the government that they deserve. We therefore call for the adoption of the Support and Good Governance package, suggested by Minister Pravin Gordhan and MEC Anton Bredell on 3 June.

Text of the letter:

Mr Pravin Gordhan, MP

Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs

Mr Anton Bredell, MP

MEC of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning

Dear Minister Gordhan and MEC Bredell,

OUDTSHOORN MUNICIPALITY SUPPORT AND GOOD GOVERNANCE PACKAGE IN TERMS OF SECTION 154 OF THE CONSTITUTION

We the undersigned Councillors are deeply concerned about deteriorating state of good governance, financial management, and service delivery in Oudtshoorn Municipality.

We are concerned about the state of the municipality and its negative impact on the people of Oudtshoorn. This concern transcends our party affiliations.

We endorse the concerns expressed in Minister Gordhan's letter of 29 March 2015 proposing a Support and Intervention Package in terms of section 154 of the Constitution, namely:

Political and administrative instability; Non-functional council structure

Sewerage works dysfunctional. Waste removal site health hazard. Pollution of water supply and refuse removal challenges;

Irregular appointment of service providers and procurement processes;

Poor communication with communities; Total disregard for approved Public Participation Policy. Ward Committees not functional

Eskom debt and decline·of tourism industry

Racial polarization in the municipality and communities of Oudtshoorn.

We support the Support and Good Governance Package and we commit to working together to:

Create a functional and responsive municipality

Bring municipality to a state of normalcy

Conduct an audit of state of services in communities

Ensure sound financial management systems and processes, and

Regain the community's trust

We support the statement issued by Minister Gordhan and MEG Bredell on 3 June 2015 calling for the adoption of the Support and Good Governance Package in terms of section 154 of the Constitution.

We have not been consulted on, nor do we support, any litigation or court action in the name of Oudtshoorn Municipality against national and/or provincial government. We distance ourselves from any attempt to obstruct national and provincial government from supporting the Municipality or intervening in terms of the Constitution.

SIGNED ON 5 JUNE 2015 AT OUDTSHOORN

1. Gunguluza, Nondumiso

2. Wagenaar, Charlie

3. Biljohn, Sonja

4. Ngalo, Erik

5. Phillips, Gertrude

6. Williams, Veronica

7. Wagenaar, Michael

8. Stalmeester, Lea 9. Titus, Maggie

10. Wildschut, Raymond

11. Van Wyk, Bernadus

12.Van der Westhuizen, Vernatt

13. Magxaka, Felicity

14. MacPherson, Christiaan

15. Nel, Pierre

16. Le Roux, Julia

17. Fourie, Danie Johan

18. Harmse, Jurie

19. Fortuin, Ewa

20. Maxim John

21. De Jager, Dianne

22. Wagenaar, Pat

ENDS

Statement issued by Wessie van der Westhuizen, Leader of the DA Caucus in Oudtshoorn, and Nondomisa Gungulusa, Chief Whip of the ANC, June 5 2015