The DA submitted an urgent application in the Port Elizabeth High Court on Friday in a bid to compel the speaker of the Nelson Mandela Bay council, Buyelwa Mafaya, to call a council meeting.
This comes after the party's letter to Mafaya and Eastern Cape Cogta MEC Xolile Nqatha, went unanswered.
The letter to Mafaya requested that she call an urgent council meeting for Monday to elect a new mayor, appoint a qualified and competent acting city manager and address concerns raised by the National Treasury.
The meeting must also discuss the letter from Nqatha tomayor Thsonono Buyeye, wherein he threatened to place the city under administration.
DA provincial leader and Bay councillor Nqaba Bhanga said: “The speaker has, however, chosen to ignore our deadline for calling the meeting and informing all councillors. It is clear she has no intention to fulfil her legislative duties and feels nothing for the long-suffering residents of Nelson Mandela Bay.
“The letter to MEC Nqatha requested clarity on what aspects of section 139(1) he intends taking with regards to placing the metro under administration, as well as informing him of the letter to councillor Mafaya.”
The DA had a deadline of 1pm on Thursday for Nqatha to force Mafaya to call a special council meeting. This, Bhanga said, did not happen.
“We have now instructed our attorneys to approach the courts for relief, and will also be seeking punitive costs against Mafaya ,“Bhanga said.
The application is expected to be heard on August 11, he said.
“The DA will continue to fight to save our City from the ANC-led coalition of corruption. We need to put a stop to the financial ruin and service delivery collapse that has ensued on their watch.
“We will also not allow the provincial ANC government to illegally dissolve the council and use this opportunity to settle internal political disputes and, in so doing, allow another political faction to loot what’s left of the people’s money,” Bhanga said.
This is a developing story.
— HeraldLIVE
DA turns to court to force a Nelson Mandela Bay council meeting
Image: Supplied
The DA submitted an urgent application in the Port Elizabeth High Court on Friday in a bid to compel the speaker of the Nelson Mandela Bay council, Buyelwa Mafaya, to call a council meeting.
This comes after the party's letter to Mafaya and Eastern Cape Cogta MEC Xolile Nqatha, went unanswered.
The letter to Mafaya requested that she call an urgent council meeting for Monday to elect a new mayor, appoint a qualified and competent acting city manager and address concerns raised by the National Treasury.
The meeting must also discuss the letter from Nqatha tomayor Thsonono Buyeye, wherein he threatened to place the city under administration.
DA provincial leader and Bay councillor Nqaba Bhanga said: “The speaker has, however, chosen to ignore our deadline for calling the meeting and informing all councillors. It is clear she has no intention to fulfil her legislative duties and feels nothing for the long-suffering residents of Nelson Mandela Bay.
“The letter to MEC Nqatha requested clarity on what aspects of section 139(1) he intends taking with regards to placing the metro under administration, as well as informing him of the letter to councillor Mafaya.”
The DA had a deadline of 1pm on Thursday for Nqatha to force Mafaya to call a special council meeting. This, Bhanga said, did not happen.
“We have now instructed our attorneys to approach the courts for relief, and will also be seeking punitive costs against Mafaya ,“Bhanga said.
The application is expected to be heard on August 11, he said.
“The DA will continue to fight to save our City from the ANC-led coalition of corruption. We need to put a stop to the financial ruin and service delivery collapse that has ensued on their watch.
“We will also not allow the provincial ANC government to illegally dissolve the council and use this opportunity to settle internal political disputes and, in so doing, allow another political faction to loot what’s left of the people’s money,” Bhanga said.
This is a developing story.
— HeraldLIVE
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