By OBAKENG MAJE
Opposition parties at the Greater Taung Local Municipality (GTLM) said, they will ensure that there is transparency and good governance at the embattled municipality.
This comes after the municipality lost a case to interdict a court order filed by opposition parties at North West High Court in Mahikeng on Tuesday.
The opposition parties at the municipality, wanted municipal speaker, Grace Moipolai to convene a physical statutory council meeting to unpack the proverbial concept and make an adoption.
However, according to the Patriotic Alliance councillor, Mmoni Letele, Moipolai opted to convene the anticipated statutory council meeting visually. Letele said they approached the high court because they wanted to do away with the ‘dictatorship’ displayed by Moipolai and ensure that the democratization process is followed.
“I am happy and feel on top of the world because this is victory. Now, the people of Taung will be able to attend the physical statutory council meeting. The attempt to have a visual meeting was a way to deprive them of their rights.
“The municipal manager, Katlego Gabanakgosi and Moipolai wanted to deny our people their rights to attend this anticipated statutory council meeting. However, this is only the beginning in our quest to ensure that there is accountability at the municipality,” Letele said.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) councillor, Sam Nape shared the same sentiments. Nape said opposition parties are key role players in ensuring that, there is good governance and respect for the rule of law.
“We highly commend the judiciary system and this is a victory for the people of Taung against corruption, malfeasance and maladministration that prevails in the municipality. Those who are responsible wanted to use a visual platform to execute resolutions that are marred with corruption and do not have the interest of the people,” he said.
Nape said they are fighting corruption at the municipality and they will pursue that, those who are responsible pay the cost from their own pockets. He further said this will be a great lesson that, in future, they should not misuse the taxpayer’s money.
One of the analytic topics expected to be discussed during the next statutory council meeting ‘scheduled’ for Thursday is the adoption of traffic officer learnership. The selection process of the learnership caused an outcry as some opposition parties accused ANC councillor, Pinkie Mosinkiemang of corruption.
Mosinkiemang was seen on a video that went viral having a list of those individuals selected for traffic officer learnership training.
It is alleged that, only those who have close proximity to some municipal officials and politicians were elected.
Meanwhile, Moipolai said, she was advised not to comment on the matter as there are steps that the municipality is planning to embark on.
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