The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) in the Thabazimbi Local Municipality (Thabazimbi, Northam, Leeupoort and Rooiberg) distances itself from any decisions or resolutions taken during the recent special council meeting on 28 February, due to serious procedural shortcomings.
During this meeting, the Municipal Manager, Mr Gopolang Clement Letsoalo, was allegedly dismissed from his position.
The problems began with the postponement of a special council meeting scheduled for 27 February due to the lack of a quorum.
Councillors received only 48 hours’ notice of the meeting, while the important adjustment budget and agenda were made available a mere 22 hours before the session.
The council meeting was rescheduled to a virtual meeting on 28 February, but councillors did not receive a link, making it impossible to participate.
Despite these administrative failures, rumours about major decisions taken during the virtual meeting started circulating around 2 March.
Today (4 March), ANC Mayor Tumisang Pilane confirmed in an official memo that the Municipal Manager has been dismissed from his position.
Neither the Freedom Front Plus nor any other opposition party attended the virtual meeting during which this decision was taken.
The party requested an attendance register to verify whether a lawful quorum was present and to determine whether any resolutions adopted during this meeting are valid.
Clearly, the council decisions are not lawful and the Freedom Front Plus was prevented from participating.
The party regards any decision taken outside the framework of the Municipal Structures Act and the Municipal Systems Act as unlawful.
The Freedom Front Plus will not allow such irregular decision-making to harm the community and formally distances itself from all outcomes of this disputed process.
