MONEY FIGHTS IN TSHWANE WARD COMMITTEES

The Tshwane Metro's ward committee elections have been thrown into chaos due to ANC in-fighting and legal and organisational bungling. Urgent action by Local Government MEC Humphrey Mmemezi has become crucial.

It has also come to light that there is severe in-fighting among ANC members for positions because of stipends that the Tshwane Metro intends paying ward committee members. The stipend, outlawed by section 74(4) of the Municipal Structures Act, is said to be around R2000,00 per month.

According to the Act, ward committee members may only be reimbursed for travel and out of pocket expenses of which auditable proof is provided. The intention by the Tshwane Metro to pay ward committee members a stipend is clearly contrary to the letter and spirit of the Municipal Structures Act.

At least two of the meetings already held on Monday 16 January turned into chaos when Metro Police were called in to remove community members from the ward committee elections in wards 74 and 76.

On Tuesday 17 January the Municipal Electoral Officer responsible for managing the ward committee elections, cancelled all elections in the metro. All councillors and affected parties were informed accordingly, but in the mean time the Speaker of council has given an instruction that the elections should go ahead.

The ward committee election scheduled for this month is supposed to occur in accordance with a by-law approved by the Tshwane Metro in June 2011. The by-law has not yet been promulgated but despite this the metro continued to organise ward committee elections. The by-law has been lying on the MEC's desk since July 2011.

It is clear that the Tshwane Metro's ward committee elections are open to legal challenge and that the process should be stopped until the by-law has been promulgated. Only then can a legal process commence.

I have written to MEC Mmemezi to intervene urgently in the matter but there has been no action from his side. I once again call on the MEC to intervene to ensure that ward committee elections are stopped so that the by-law can be processed.

Statement issued by Fred Nel MPL, DA Gauteng Spokesperson for Local Government, January 19 2012

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