Media release received on Friday 22-12-2017 from Luigi Gaigher, Metsimaholo Ward 18 Councillor and DA Metsimaholo Communications & Media Officer:
After the recent by-elections, the Democratic Alliance received 11 of the 42 available seats in Metsimaholo. We were cautious not to repeat the lesson which we learnt from the 2016 elections where the MCA, as our alliance partner, defected to the ANC and dismissed all DA Members of the Mayoral Committee. The Speaker of Council who was from the DA was subjected to unfounded motions of no confidence. The Speaker was sidelined to prevent her from oversight on any executive decisions as well.In view hereof the Democratic Alliance took a strategic position that it will not be part of any coalition agreement where it has to award the top political seats to any other political party for the sake of governing Metsimaholo.Our voting block ,however,failed to obtain political leadership positions in Metsimaholo at the first council meeting held on 21 December 2017.
The smaller political parties like the F4SD,MCA, SACP demanded their pound of flesh for getting into bed with the ANC. At the first Council meeting of the Metsimaholo Local Municipality ,the Executive Mayor went to the SAPC, the Speaker to the ANC and the Chief Whip is from the MCA. The Members of the Mayoral Committee were not announced which is an indicator that there was no agreement in terms of the demands by the one seater parties and 3 seater SAPC.
The ANC alliance partners all campaigned against the ANC and the blame game has already started.The Democratic Alliance is committed to serve our voters with integrity and we will ensure that we will fight our mandate in the Council Chambers.
Following are the names of our DA Councillors per ward:
Wards 1 & 13- Cllr Jack Sentungoane
Wards 19 & 21- Cllr Phineas Mohapi
Wards 2 & 6- Cllr Thabiso Mofokeng
Wards 3 & 5- Cllr Arnoldi du Plooy
Wards 4 & 20- Cllr Jeff Zwane
Wards 7 & 8-Cllr Thulo Kamohelo
Wards 9 & 10- Cllr Thabang Mokoena
Wards 11 & 12- Cllr Mooki Motlhale
Ward 14-Cllr Frans van der Merwe
Ward 15- Cllr Koos Grobbelaar
Ward 16- Cllr Jacques Barnard
Ward 17- Cllr George Burger
Ward 18- Cllr Luigi Gaigher
The Democratic Alliance wishes to thank our voters for your support. We will be working hard to improve our support base for the 2019 National Elections.Together we will effect new beginnings for South Africa.
