DA walks out of council meeting
By holding the meeting under the incorrect Rules of Order and placing policy above laws, the Speaker was obstructing the rule of law.
The Democratic Alliance has condemned the blatant attempt by the ANC to subvert the effective running of the Mogale City council by convening the council meeting of 26 October under the wrong Rules of Order.
The DA walked out after the ANC Speaker refused to convene the meeting under the valid Rules of Order, instead opting to use a set adopted in 2016 without following due process.
John Moody, DA Provincial Leader and Member of Parliament, released a statement to the News saying that the DA was left with no other choice but to leave the chamber after numerous calls on the ANC Speaker to ensure that the legally binding Rules of Order were applied, failed.
Addressing the chamber before the walk-out, DA Councillor Michael Holenstein said that the council meeting was not being held under the only lawful and promulgated rules of order of the Mogale City Local Municipality, which were adopted by council on 5 September 2001 and promulgated on 3 October 2001.
He added that any councillor taking part in the meeting would be contravening the law and may be liable to a fine or imprisonment as set out in Local Government: Municipal Systems Act 32 of 2000.
He added that by holding the meeting under the incorrect Rules of Order and placing policy above laws, the Speaker was obstructing the rule of law.
“The DA is committed to working with the community to fix the mess left behind by the previous ANC council and will not allow its work to be sabotaged in this way.
As a party that prides itself on upholding the rule of law and ensuring that correct procedures are followed, the DA assures the residents of Mogale City that it will not partake in illegally convened meetings. The important debates and resulting decisions needed to take the municipality forward must be done in accordance with established rules and regulations,” Moody said in his statement.
“The DA again calls on the ANC Speaker to stop playing petty politics and ensure that the important business of the Mogale City municipality can continue in the best interests of all its citizens and in a legal manner. “
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