EDITOR – On Sunday I attended the ward committee meeting in Ward 33 in Glenwood to elect our ward committee.
A ward committee, as most people know, is an a-political group of citizens who represent various aspects of their community and take their concerns to their ward councillor. It is a way of expanding the number of eyes and ears on the ground, and is written into the Municipal Systems Act as a part of participatory government.
However, a large contingent of ANC supporters arrived on a bus, brandishing T-shirts, and made it very clear – very early on – that their sole purpose in attending was to disrupt the proceedings as much as they could.
Various ANC members, wearing ANC regalia, interrupted the proceedings constantly, arguing the process, insulting the presiding officer, shouting people down, putting forward points of order, demanding different procedures, making loud comments and jokes, hectoring the participants. I left after an inconclusive six hours, frustrated and depressed about the process, as it was clear that the ANC was not remotely interested in service delivery or governance but were obsessed only with disrupting a DA-run ward.
I have lodged an objection with the eThekwini Council, but seeing that it is an ANC-run council, and therefore this rowdy hooliganism could only have been carried out with their permission and encouragement, I do not hold out much hope that anything will happen. It is extremely depressing that service delivery and governance is so unimportant to the ruling party.
I find it quite strange that anyone can be proud to be a member of the ANC, when their behaviour shows them to be empty vessels, intent only on aggressive mayhem and political contestation.
Niki MooreUmbilo
