'Virtual' municipal speaker faces the axe

DA calls for municipal speaker to be axed.

Tjekane Molapo, DA councillor in the Fetakgomo-Tubatse Municipality, Limpopo, alleged that municipal speaker Vincent Shoba does as he pleases and doesn't abide by the rules and orders.

Molapo claims all council meetings were held virtually since June 2024 when Shoba was sworn in as the speaker.

"During these meetings, opposition parties were permanently muted and ignored. The public wasn't notified of council meetings and the 48-hour notice period for council meetings was mostly ignored," he said.

Molapo said the latest rules and orders published on 13 September 2013 in the Provincial Gazette No 138 of 2252 don't make provision for virtual sittings and Section 29A of the Municipal Structures Act determines that the public must be given notice of every council sitting.

"During the virtual meetings, opposition parties were effectively suppressed, the prepared panel of law firms was overlooked and two new law firms appointed without following the procurement processes," he said.

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Molapo said the Burgersfort Regional Court issued an interim court order on 6 February prohibiting the municipality, municipal council, the mayor and speaker from interfering with municipal manager's work.

He said despite the court order, the speaker convened and chaired a council meeting through a virtual platform on Tuesday, 11 February, claiming the sitting was held according to rules and orders.

"During this meeting, opposition parties were suppressed yet again."

Molapo said the council has been stripped of its functions by the speaker who is holding due processes captive through his deliberate disregard for the rules and orders.

"We'll write to the Cooperative Governance, Human Settlement and Traditional Affairs MEC Basikopo Makamu to investigate the total contempt for the rule of law, rules and orders by the speaker. Makamu must restore order in our council and remove the speaker, if he's incapable or unwilling to apply the rules and orders," he said.

Makamu's spokesman Molebatsi Masedi said they haven't received the letter.

"We won't be able to reply on the intentions of the DA," he said.