The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality is appalled to hear that the Ward Councillor for Ward 12, Cllr Shirley Sauls, attempted to rig the Ward Committee nominations that were held on Monday, 17 October 2011, at the Malabar Community Centre.
It has come to our attention that the presiding officer for the Ward 12 nominations, Mr Mtati, an official of the NMBM, received a telephone call from Cllr Sauls prior to the meeting (which was scheduled to start at 17h00), asking Mtati as to whether he could ensure that DA-nominated candidates could be given a minimum of five seats on the ten-seater Ward Committee. Cllr Sauls went on to say to Mr Mtati that he could “trade” this with other groupings, notably the ANC and the PAC, who could then be given four seats and one seat respectively.
The process for the establishment of Ward Committees is currently being coordinated by the Constituency Services office, in accordance with the presiding legislation. The Constituency Services office has been at pains to emphasise the fact that Ward Committees are apolitical structures, specifically designed to ensure accountability of the Ward Councillor, and in so doing, to enhance democracy at a grassroots level.
The Office has previously reported that the Democratic Alliance was politicising this process, and the incident in Ward 12 confirms this.
Immediately after the Ward 12 Nomination meeting, residents who attended the meeting were shocked to hear Ward Councillor Assistant Ms Rochelle Toby reporting the results of the meeting over the cell-phone to Cllr Sauls, who in turn gave Ms Toby a tongue-lashing as the results had not gone the way in which Cllr Sauls had prescribed them to be.
Constituency Coordinator Thembinkosi Mafana said: “I am extremely disappointed at the behaviour and blatant disrespect for the democratic process by Cllr Sauls. All along we have been saying to all political parties not to interfere with the process. This incident gives credence to our previous statements that the DA is undermining the process.” “The blatant manner in which the DA is attempting to rig these elections for apolitical structures makes me sick to my stomach, as these structures are supposed to serve the people, not political parties or councillors.”
“Now one wonders why the DA is calling for the cancellation of the process – yet, at the same time, whilst calling for the cancellation and Cllr Gustav Rautenbach of the DA publicly stating that the DA will withdraw from the process – behind the people’s backs, they blatantly attempt to rig this democratic process.”
“The Constituency Services Office is filing a full report in this regard, and strong action against the Councillor and anyone else who is found to be guilty of subverting democracy will be recommended.”
The above is taken from an e-mailed NMB Newsletter under the hand of Communications Director, Roland Williams.
Editors’s Notes: My misgivings about the present political set-up are well known. In a nutshell it is my belief that we should return to a system whereby our local politicians especially must function in a manner such as the committee of a local sports club, become community focused and truly SERVE the community. Most importantly, just like any committee, they must do so WITHOUT being paid a salary – only direct expenses must be met. As the first tier of government this will act as a proving ground to test their ability as well as keeping them in touch with real people via their paying jobs.
Only once they have proven their ability and honesty will they become eligible to move up the ranks into a paid position under the umbrella of a specific political party. In essence, let the political parties jostle to attract the best graduates from this proving ground.
It is my belief that such a system will ensure that the most effective, community based citizens will then become regional and national leaders and we will not begrudge the huge salaries that we then pay them in order to carry out our wishes. Eventually cream rises to the top and k*k sinks to the bottom.
And, once again, I am appalled at the MISUSE of an official communication channel to spread ‘unproven in a court of law’ allegations. It is my understanding that the Communications Department at the Metro is there to communicate. When last I checked not one of the esteemed communications persons held the title of JUDGE!
If the councillors actually did their jobs, free from political meddling then we wouldn’t need these Ward Committees in the first place.
I say SHAME ON ALL OF YOU – Councillor Sauls for placing yourself in a position where you may be suspected, Roland Williams for JUDGING and spreading this via an official communications channel and every one of our citizens for falling blindly into the traps and lying mouths of politicians everywhere.
By the way, Roland, don’t you think that you would have scored MASSIVE points had you rather waited until the process was complete and the Councillor had been found GUILTY?
