Opposition parties, including the Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus), achieved a significant victory against the ANC/CSA/EFF governing coalition of the Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality by blocking a planned overseas trip for three senior officials.
It demonstrates that accountable governance and service delivery should take precedence over lavish overseas excursions.
Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd had invited the Municipal Manager and the Directors for Finance and Infrastructure to visit China between 20 October and 18 November.
The Freedom Front Plus deemed this invitation inappropriate and ill-timed, especially given the Municipality’s severe water shortages, infrastructure decay and financial strain.
Residents have to put up with poor service delivery, unreliable water and power supply, and crumbling roads on a daily basis. Yet, the municipal leadership wanted to go gallivanting abroad – a plan the Council put a stop to.
This vote proves that common sense and community interests do still count for something in the Council.
The ANC/CSA/EFF should be held accountable for its maladministration that is crippling the towns in the municipal area and disregarding residents’ interests.
The Freedom Front Plus will keep prioritising the interests of taxpayers while exerting pressure to ensure service delivery that truly serves the residents of Aberdeen and surrounds.
