Issue 166 - FREE
9 MARCH 2018
Community News. Original - accurate - first
017 631 1903 / 017 631 1845 • admin@thebulletin.co.za • 1 Kiewiet Street, Secunda (Lake Umuzi)
Mayor gets the boot Flora Maboa-Boltman, Mayor of Govan Mbeki municipality has resigned. An extraordinary council meeting was called by the majority councillors as per the standing orders of council. “Flora chose to hand in her resignation instead of facing a motion of no confidence and to save face in a party that is increasingly falling apart” says Democratic Alliance Cllr Hein Badenhorst. It became very clear that the mayor was under instructions from within the ANC to resign or be removed through a vote of no confidence. A number of high ranking provincial ANC dignitaries attended the meeting. In her speech, Maboa-Boltman heaped praises on her party, her MMC’s as well as herself. “I’m standing here in front of you all with no regrets. This is where I learnt good practices” says Flora and continued to tell the council and members of the public “I think I have done what I could.” Flora also said that she loves Govan Mbeki and would still like to see the city become a model city and a city of excellence. Flora stated that the ANC has decided to redeploy her and that she has accepted the redeployment. “I believe that I have played a meaningful role in the quest of stabilising the municipality in some areas, it won’t be in all areas I understand that. But the meaningful contribution that I have done, I think I have done what I could,” says Flora, “I remember meeting with Eskom, we spoke and reached some agreement.” “People were crying about water and one took the initiative to speak to Rand Water and reached some agreement” Flora said, “I will continue as a disciplined cadre” Flora also thanked her staff for their support. “There are two people that I was with daily and I think you won’t throw them out, Municipal Manager, because they still have to continue as the organisation (ANC) did not redeploy them but they redeployed me.”Flora got very emotional and asked the MM, “are you going to throw them out? If so why?” Flora said that if they were thrown out they would not have bread on their table. The EFF and Sopromo immediately said that the process is unconstitutional
as the extraordinary council meeting is not in line with the standing orders. A heavy argument ensued with both the EFF and Sopromo accusing the speaker of misusing his powers. The speaker had Cllr Hlolweni heavy handedly removed from council. The EFF staged a walkout in protest to the extraordinary council meeting and the procedures. The Democratic Alliance also seized the chance to tell the ANC that they did a poor job of running this municipality. “Flora should have been acted against a long time ago” says councillor Hein Badenhorst, “under Flora’s leadership
this municipality has gone from bad to worse. This is the worst administration ever!” The DA objected to Cllr Ngxonono’s nomination as new Mayor. The DA stated that she was the worst MMC for Finance ever and that she was instrumental in creating this mess that the municipality finds itself in. The DA also said that the ANC is always redeploying their culprits, using DD Mabuza as an example as their leader Mmusi Maimane said, “Tsotsi no 1!” The DA staged a walkout in protest to proceedings of the day saying that this
is a gross misuse of power. They also protested the nomination of Thandi Ngxonono as mayor. “Only time will tell if this will bring more looting and bad management or it will actually improve the municipality” says Hein Badenhorst, “Flora had not once taken responsibility for the demise of Govan Mbeki Municipality. Under her rule, GMM’s shortfall in their management of the Eskom purchase/ payment account was approximately R40m. Rand Water money was used to pay Eskom and now we have water restriction.”