DA must clean up its act

The ANC welcomes the judgement by the Western Cape High Court that found the interference in the Swellendam municipality invalid and calls on the DA to put the greater interests of the people of this area first by removing the DA councillors obstructing cooperation in that town.

ANC chief whip in the Western Cape provincial legislature and spokesperson on local government Pierre Uys says: "Once again the DA wasted hard earned taxpayer money to protect and advance its party political agenda at the expense of service delivery. It is the second time former mayor Julian Matthysen was successful in his application to be restored."

Matthysen is the sole representative of the ACDP and holds the balance of power as the ANC and DA have equal number of seats. Matthysen was also expelled early in 2012 after he rejected the DA's cover-up of corruptive actions and questionable transactions. He was restored after an interdict was granted by the Western Cape High Court. In the latest case the ACDP and municipality must pay the cost which runs into hundreds of thousands of Rand. This money could have been better spent on services for people.

"The stability and dignity of this council must be restored as soon as possible. The DA must show its commitment to cooperate to make things work for all the people and diverse communities of Swellendam. It must fire its inflexible local leaders, remove those resistant councillors and bring in people that can take Swellendam and its people forward. Swellendam can't afford cheap party political point scoring by the DA-led coalition. In fact, the DA loses its grip in various municipalities due to its stubborn petty politics," Uys added.

Statement issued by ANC Chief Whip Pierre Uys, May 7 2013

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