The ANC in the Mangaung Metro has made a U-turn on an earlier cost-saving decision not to buy event tickets for councillors and officials. The ANC in the Metro used its majority vote to pass a new resolution for the purchasing of event tickets for councillors on a limited basis.
This is despite a council decision on 22 September 2015 not to do so, which was in line with a government circular by National Treasury that non-priority spending, such as buying tickets for councillors and officials, must be eliminated.
“They (councillors) must provide for their own entertainment,” said Cope councillor, Papi Kganare, in objection to the resolution. “Councillors are not poor. They can buy their own tickets.”
Speaker Mxolisi Siyonzana told the sitting the reason for the decision was that the offices of the Executive Mayor and Speaker can entertain guests during festivals such as Macufe in the city.
The Democratic Alliance also protested against the decision.
DA councillor, Hardie Viviers, said he is inundated with calls from contractors who did not get paid by the metro. “The most basic of services that the MMM must provide also falls behind.”
He urged the metro to first report on what cost containment measures are in place before an irrational decision such as this can be taken.
DA Chief Whip in the council, Johan Pretorius, further urged the council not to vote for the decision because it “will send out the wrong message” to Mangaung residents and ratepayers, while councils across the country were pulling the plug on lavish dinners and lunches.
Freedom Front Plus councillor, Devar Smit, said it does not make sense that the metro sponsors certain events and then goes and buy tickets for the same event.
“We stand for sponsoring some events because it promotes the metro. To go and buy our own event tickets, however, does not make sense. It is a waste of money,” said Smit. – André Grobler
andreg@centralmediagroup.co.za
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