The Democratic Alliance (DA) led a full opposition walk-out in the Sol Plaatje Municipality Council after the ANC once again attempted to install an Acting Municipal Manager in place of Municipal Manager, Thapelo Matlala.
Matlala was absent from the meeting on the advice of his legal team after the municipality re-filed an appeal to overturn the court order that permitted him to resume his duties, following his irregular suspension.
The Speaker, Dipuo Peters, refused to answer critical questions from the opposition, including who authorised the renewed appeal. She and the Mayor, Martha Bartlett, were previously held personally liable for legal costs in the earlier court action.
This latest appeal carries clear financial risks for the municipality. When the Speaker attempted to deflect from accountability and called in security under the guise of restoring “order,” the opposition walked out to prevent the Council from being abused to advance political interests.
This ongoing political circus is unfolding at the direct expense of service delivery to residents. Continued political interference is paralysing governance in Sol Plaatje, preventing the Municipal Manager from performing his duties, obstructing stable administration, jeopardising compliance with the deadline for the tabling of the budget next week, and placing critical grant funding at risk of being forfeited due to underspending.
Residents cannot afford endless political games while service delivery continues to deteriorate.
The DA will continue to oppose and block attempts to hijack Sol Plaatje through unlawful and reckless decisions, and will persist in the fight to restore stability, accountability, and proper service delivery for all residents.