Opposition parties have all agreed to boycott the official adoption of JB Marks as the new name for the municipality after walking out of Wednesday’s special council meeting of NW405.
The council could not form a quorum and, therefore, the council will meet again this Friday.
This final step comes after the 14 days for comments from the public ended on 29 June. According to the speaker, Elias Mogoeemang, 4 161 public comments were received in favour of the name, 14 comments objected and eight were spoilt.
Hans-Jurie Moolman, the DA Caucus leader repeatedly called for proof of the comments received from the public. ‘If there is a submission on the comments from the public, where are the comments?’ he asked. He says what was placed before the councillors was just the outcome of the poll. ‘We objected to this because, when you ask for comment from the public, people give their opinion as to whether or not we should make use of a specific name and why,’ he said. He described the whole process as flawed. Speaking on behalf of the independents, David Kham says the public was misled in the newspaper advert. ‘What about the people who cannot read or write? The advert did not specify where those people could make oral submissions,’ he argued. The name, JB Marks, was already voted in by the ANC and two EFF councillors in the State of The City Address on 30 May.
Independents to take council to court over name change. Watch video: Independents to take NW405 to court.
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