Buffalo City DA councillor accused of leaking council information

01 Feb 2016 | Admin Author

Buffalo City DA councillor Lance Weyer was met with accusations of leaking council information to the media and being racist during a council meeting at the East London City Hall on Wednesday.

This, during debate on the proposed 40-year lease of portions of erf for the R2-billion Berlin for Business Project, outside the city.

BCM Mayor Zukiswa Ncita accused Weyer and the DA of resisting development in black communities after he questioned the decision to increase the lease.

Weyer was also accused of leaking information about the project to the media.

The proposal for the project, which includes the building of a race course and a multi-purpose complex, was approved last April for a lease of 20 years, but Council agreed to extend the lease to 40 years.

Mayor Ncitha says it will contribute positively to the Berlin area which, she likened to a ghost town...

"If you have that kind of project working and also having to deliver to those communities by creating jobs. The horse races will usually only take place in the big cities. This time we will be breaking a record to have it in a more of less rural area" she said.

Meanwhile, the DA strongly objected to extending the lease to 40 years.

Weyer told Algoa FM News that their concerns have nothing to do with the proposed horse racing course, but the fact that current lessees do not have clear financial backing.

"Other people that have applied to the city for the lease, like the Grand Prix circuit and the EL golf club who have proven financial backers have only got a 20 year lease. We cannot give someone who is yet to prove that they even have enough financial backing a 40 year lease in essence it will lock that land up for 40 years" he said

An investigation into Weyer's conduct was suggested by councillors and the mayor says it will be up to the speaker to take action.