ZF Mgcawu Speaker Stanley Peterson. Picture: Facebook
THE DA in the Northern Cape wants the Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC) to investigate “wasteful and fruitless expenditure” amounting to R115,000 that was spent on a strategic planning session that was held in Groblershoop in March.
ZF Mcgawu councillor Deeyone de Koker said the funds were spent on overnight accommodation, food and the rental of a hall.
“The Speaker of ZF Mgcawu District Municipality must be investigated as the session was a flopped attempt at taking council to the people,” said De Koker.
“The meeting, which was held at a resort in Groblershoop on March 28, started late and ended a day early, upon the request of the Speaker, Stanley Peterson. The 12-hour interactive session was reduced to four hours of glorified presentations made to council members.”
De Koker added that the council session that was scheduled to start at 11am the following day was rescheduled to start at 9am. “The public, for whom the council meeting had actually been convened in Groblershoop, were never informed of the time change. By the time community members arrived, the council meeting was already over.
“The entire two days culminated in wasteful and fruitless expenditure of municipal and financial resources. The strategic planning session never served its purpose while the community was never given a fair opportunity to participate, as it should have been.”
Peterson welcomed any investigation to be conducted at the municipality.
“As the chairperson of council, I arrange meetings, I do not pay for hall rentals or for catering. I do not deal with any quotations or payments as that is the responsibility of the administration,” said Peterson.
He believed that the DA was suffering from “sour grapes syndrome”.
“The DA is resorting to cheap politics and sensation. The community wants good service delivery and the DA cannot deliver as they are not in charge. The opposition are seat warmers who will complain for the next five years while they are earning salaries because of the votes they received.
“I am proud of the ANC and our coalition partner that in the past three months managed to improve from an unfunded to a funded municipality. We are committed to clean governance - that for the last eight to 12 years did not exist in the district.”
Peterson claimed that the DA had requested him to form a new coalition a few weeks ago.
He also thanked the former mayor, Marius Louw, who resigned last week following his arrest on charges of fraud.
“Louw left a legacy of a sound administration. He led a programme to cover 136 drains over two days and provided water to the Kheis community. Good governance attracts criticism. ZF Mgcawu Municipality is in capable hands under the leadership of the ANC.”