Anton Bredell, the Provincial Minister for Local Government, has stepped in to resolve the current crisis in the Prince Albert Municipality. This follows concerns about overspending on the budget, allegations of the Council meddling in the administration of the Municipality, the Council’s suspension of the Municipal Manager Juanita Fortuin at the end of December and the disciplining of the Chief Financial Officer Jakob van der Westhuizen earlier in 2010.

Bredell told the Friend as we went to press that his Department, working closely with the South African Local Government Association (SALGA), would identify a competent, independent person to fill the Municipal Manager’s position temporarily. This person would also investigate the “problems” in the Municipality. Minister Bredell stressed that his Department’s mandate was to support and monitor local government. However, he could not accept the Council’s recommended candidate for Acting Municipal Manager in place of Fortuin as the person had strong political affiliations for what is deemed to be a non-political post. He also confirmed that an official of the Provincial Treasury was already working with the Municipality’s Finance department to investigate its R6 million deficit. He said a pool of experts was on standby should they be needed.

Fortuin, who was suspended on 3 January, told the Friend on 21 January that the Council had yet to advise her formally of the reasons for her suspension or the date of her disciplinary hearing. Executive Mayor, Cllr April Pienaar, refused to discuss the matter with the Friend claiming the matter was sub judice...     

Chairperson of the Ratepayers’ & Residents’ Association, Barbara Castle, welcomed Bredell’s promise of help, saying that townspeople were becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the undemocratic attitude of councillors. “Our members are furious about the pay rise that the councillors awarded themselves... backdated to July 2010,” she said. “For a Municipality that is already in trouble financially – to the tune of millions of rand – it is blatant plundering of resources,” said Castle, “and cannot be allowed to continue.”

Reprinted with kind permission of Prince Albert Friend newspaper January/February issue.