The people of Kai !Garib have spoken, the mayor must go

by Harold McGluwa – DA Northern Cape Provincial Chairperson & Chief Whip of the Provincial Caucus

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Date: 07 September 2018

Release: Immediate

The DA is reiterating our call on Premier Sylvia Lucas and COGHSTA MEC, Bentley Vass, to urgently intervene in the governance of Kai !Garib municipality. This comes after previous pleas by the DA and the community seem to have fallen on deaf ears.

Community frustrations in Kai !Garib boiled over yesterday, as community members took to the streets in protest against the inability of Mayor Marius Louw, alongside the acting Municipal Manager, Isak Daryl de Waal and the acting Chief Financial Officer, Gavin Matthews, to properly manage the municipality.

Mismanagement in Kai !Garib recently came to a head, when the Sherriff of the court seized assets due to the municipality’s failure to honour payments. Internal theft of large sums of money has also come to light within the municipality.

Community members are now demanding that Louw, alongside his senior managers, be removed from office for having failed in their duties to attend to the needs of community members and for having driven this municipality into the ground.

The Northern Cape cannot afford another crippling wave of destruction, as was recently experienced in Kimberley when community members went to extreme measures to get the attention of the ruling party regarding their dissatisfaction with Sol Plaatje Mayor, Mangaliso Matika.

Lucas, Vass and the ANC must avail themselves to address a long list of grievances of the people of Kakamas, Keimoes and Kenhart, or risk further antagonizing the community.

The DA, meanwhile, is considering tabling a motion of no confidence against Louw. Illegal practices, unqualified staff and thee seizure of assets are more than enough reason for Louw to be removed.

Only change under a DA-led government will ensure that municipal management is effected in an efficient and transparent manner that will improve the delivery of services to all.

Media Enquiries

Harold McGluwa

DA Northern Cape Provincial Chairperson & Chief Whip of the Provincial Caucus

082 440 1779

Chrystal Limburgh

Researcher

079 2260 991