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Khusta Jack on the Municipal Manager Saga – “ANC got it wrong”

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Editor: Background – The position of Municipal Manager of Nelson Mandela Bay is the current ‘hot potato’ in Nelson Mandela Bay politics with three distinct sides having emerged: The ANC, DA and Coalition block (the so-called ‘smaller parties’) each having their preferred candidates. The standout reason why the ‘smaller parties’ think that their recommended candidate is the proper person for the job is because he has NOT been tainted with still to come fraud or corruption accusations/investigations.

Dear Editor

The ANC, through its representatives, ie, regional and provincial leaders, including their MEC, got it so wrong, on the current Dr Noxolo Nqwazi debacle. We (smaller party block) told them from the word go, “put, courts aside” and let us resolve the matter politically.

They were so adamant, to the point that in the meeting I reminded them about ANC stance on Inkandla, and how they were forced to eat humble pie.

In the meeting, I said, to their, horror and irritation, that the confidence they were displaying on this matter is very similar to how sure they were on Inkandla.

If you remember, they attempted to convince us that a swimming pool that should cost R40-50 000 was constructed at a cost of R4.6 Million, in Inkandla.

This point, I made in the meeting that lasted from 10am till 5pm, trying to convince them that a court was no solution on the current impasse.

As a block and them, we were suggesting that we find each other politically on the matter, rather than look upon courts.

We were mocked, ridiculed and, effectively, just ignored and dismissed. Actually, in the meeting, from their point of view, they were frightening us with courts.

They did go to court, as per their wisdom. The court dismissed them and rejected their application through their proxies.

In all those hours, the ANC was saying to us the court is the only remedy. We were saying the politicians could act in the best interests of the Metro by resolving the matter. They rejected those pleas in a space of 7 hours on a Sunday and for another 3 hours on Monday. I am not talking about earlier meetings with regional leaders, that were themselves a carbon copy of what they styled the provincial leader’s meeting, yielded nothing.

In our own understanding, we were saying, the meeting of 16 March 2022, did not have a quorum at the time that Dr Nqwazi was purportedly voted for.

We were also saying the resolutions taken on the meeting of 23 March 2022, were legitimate and proper, since close to 70 councilors were recorded as being present.

They were strongly of the view that the meeting of 16 March 2022 was quorated, even when they were shown that people inside the Chambers were 57, instead of the required 61.

They drowned on their own false narrative. They refuse to accept that the selection panel recommends, and council appoints.

They cannot comprehend that the municipality takes instruction from council, hence they do not accept 70 councilors in a meeting constitute a proper council meeting, hence the meeting of the 23 March was properly constituted and decisions taken there are council resolutions.

They rejected our advice that they instruct Dr Nqwazi to retract the letters of expelling Northern Alliance councilors, they flatly rejected that, since, in their wisdom, they believed their own story, that these councilors were no more councilors, even though, we told them the matter is in a court of law and that the IEC has not declared these positions vacant.

They were appluaded by the MEC, as he fired an utterly ill informed letter, misleading the public on the status of both the speaker and the 3 councilors.

One can hope that they have learned the simple lesson – the municipality has no authority outside the council. A point we tried hard to drum into their heads without success.

Another, bitter lesson to be learnt is that 57 out of 120 councilors do not constitute a quorum.

Last lesson, remember that one’s past glory counts for nothing, if you are not able do read current conditions.

When you have fallen from 82 to 48 seats (2006 to 2021) you ought to measure your expectations appropriately. In my view, that was the lost point to their thinking.

Regards

Khusta Jack
AIM ViC

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.