Persverklaring: Raadslid Peter Millar. 1 April 2008
Press release: Councillor Peter Millar. 1 April 2008
The Democratic Alliance (DA) seriously questions and objects to the African National Congress’s (ANC’s) stance that the Tshwane Metro Council meet only every second month. By contrast, the Metro Councils of other cities such as Cape Town, Durban, Bloemfontein and Johannesburg understand the logic of meeting once a month.
Being the capital city of South Africa with vast infrastructure, socio-economic and political challenges, the arrangement of meeting only every second month makes no sense. In fact, this arrangement is not conducive to transparent and accountable government in any way what so ever.
A motion was submitted by DA councillor Peter Millar at the Council meeting held on 27 March 2008 calling for council meetings at least once a month.
In the motion that was tabled by Councillor Peter Millar the following was pointed out:
“By meeting every two months there is a delay in making important decisions and retarding development. There is a delay in dealing with and responding to motions, questions, and petitions, thus resulting in a lack of accountability and openness to ordinary citizens, the media, ward committees and other structures in society.”
The ANC was reluctant to accept the motion and referred it instead to the Council’s programming committee for review.
This is not the first time such an appeal was made to the ANC and one wonders how long the ANC will drag their feet on the issue. By meeting only every second month, democracy is not served.
The DA does not accept this tendency to side step the meganisms that were put in place to promote democracy. The DA will continue calling on the ANC to revisit this arrangement. Hopefully, not to many months will slip away before logic replaces selfish political rhetoric.
Councillor Peter Millar
082 574 4103
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