ANC refuces to explain

The question, tabled during the monthly council meeting, by the DA’s Clr Ashor Sarupen to the MMC for Roads and Transport, Clr Thumbu Mahlangu, read as follows:

With regard to the use and rental of metro buses, owned or branded by Ekurhuleni, could the MMC please indicate:

* how many of such buses were in the Johannesburg CBD on the 4th of February 2014?

*n For what purpose were these buses used?

* Were these buses rented out?

* If so, by whom?

However, when the question was presented in the house, the DA noted that the date had magically changed to January 2014.

It is not known who made such an amendment within the administration, but the rapturous applause and derisive laughter from the ANC benches when this was pointed out shows that there was, possibly, foul play.

The DA suspects even more strongly than before that the ANC was intent upon forming a reception committee and did so at public expense.

Sarupen demanded that the Speaker investigate this magical change to the question, at which point the Speaker refused the request.

The DA now wants to know what the ANC-led administration and ANC councillors have to hide about ratepayer-owned buses that were photographed bringing ANC members to disrupt the DA’s initial march; whether these buses, paid for by the taxpayer and ratepayer, were abused and, lastly, why the ANC Speaker refuses to investigate why the question was amended through its processing and tabling in the house when, surely an investigation would exonerate those involved?

The DA has since decided to consider all options available in this matter, and will re-table the question to see if the ANC continues to evade it.

Furthermore, the DA plans to demand a formal investigation and will escalate the matter to the MEC for Local Government if the request for such an investigation is denied.