In a statement released today Executive Mayor Athol Trollip said:
5615 residents have already participated in the Metro’s Budget and IDP meetings, with a further 8 meetings scheduled to take place over the next 2 weeks.
The Municipality has never before seen such excellent attendance. There is an air of excited anticipation and hope that abounds in the Metro, which has led to full halls night after night.
In spite of this, the leadership of the opposition, still battling to come to terms with the reality of losing the Metro, has embarked on a very myopic exercise of encouraging chaos amongst their supporters at IDP meetings.
The opposition’s ill-conceived strategy is backfiring spectacularly with their own supporters now threatening to burn down ANC ward offices as a result of having been prevented from exercising their democratic right to participate in the formulation of the budget and IDP.
This foolhardy strategy is short-sighted as all it achieves is to deprive needy and vulnerable residents of being able to interact with the new administration to highlight their needs, hopes and aspirations.
I have on numerous occasions warned the local leadership of the opposition against encouraging this dangerous and undemocratic strategy. But the opposition has already lost control of its structures and now they are reaping the whirlwind they’ve sown.
As a result, opposition Councillor Sabani faces a charge for violating the code of conduct after he tried to hijack an IDP meeting at the Nangoza Jebe Hall. We are on a mission to deliver better services and grow the economy for our 1.2 million residents; we can’t also be spoon-feeding the opposition.
Having the official opposition in such disarray cannot be in the interest of anyone in the Nelson Mandela Metro. We have thus asked the ANC leadership to conduct a full investigation into this ongoing disruption and that a report be sent to the Chief Whip, Cllr Werner Senekal, by Friday 21 October 2016.
The DA-led council is determined to continue engaging the citizens of this metro in order to craft the best possible Metro IDP and budget, that is informed by a comprehensive and inclusive public participation process.
This new government will deliver on its promise to deliver better services, grow the economy to create jobs and stop corruption, whether the opposition wishes to be part of this change or not.
NMB Communications
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