Naziziphiwo Buso
The GOOD party in Nelson Mandela Bay has filed a motion of no confidence against the Speaker of Council, Gary van Niekerk, for the alleged misuse of a municipal vehicle.
The motion by GOOD Councilor, Lawrence Troon, is being supported by United Democratic Movement (UDM) councillor, Luxolo Namete.
This could have serious implications for the governing coalition.
Meanwhile, according to the notice of motion, Van Niekerk is accused of using the Speakers’ municipal vehicle for four months even when he had been ousted from the position.
Troon said he was spotted in the Northern Areas transporting people who are not allowed to use the vehicle.
“Numerous attempts from the Safety and Security Directorate to retrieve the vehicle were unsuccessful until a sting operation was put into place on 18 July 2022,” Troon said.
The leader of GOOD says in January the speaker allegedly also gave another vehicle he had been allocated to a political appointee to be his driver, against the laws of the Safety and Security of the municipality.
Expanding further on the actions to be taken Troon says Van Niekerk must face the Rules and Ethics Committee for a disciplinary hearing to determine the costs the municipality incurred during the time of “unlawful use”.
Troon says if found guilty, he must be expelled as a councillor.
“Van Niekerk must be removed as Speaker as he has broken the trust of the council in his gross misconduct and against the law.”
UDM spokesperson, Yongama Zigebe told Algoa FM News that this was not about seats.
He says that he felt that it is important to hold each other accountable as coalition partners.
Zigebe says that it cannot be that speaker has serious allegations against him and that he does not "atone to it".
He says that Van Niekerk should pay back the costs incurred during the alleged misuse.
"We have been voted to government by our people- but we cannot be in government by all costs... We understand what it as stake," he added.
Meanwhile, Van Niekerk said he had heard about the motion but hadn’t discussed it with his party yet, by Monday afternoon.
He said: “The mayor (Retief Odendaal) has messaged me and apologized for the behaviour of the UDM and GOOD.
“My relationship with the mayor is still very cordial [and] testament to this is us attending an event together this morning still.
Asked if he was still in the coalition he said: “We are still part of the Coalition but we'll have an FWC (Federal Working Committee) has requested a meeting to discuss the motion and the way forward. “
Van Niekerk says since the public endorsement by the Patriotic Alliance for the Northern Alliance to assume the position of mayor, MMC Troon has been in a witch hunt to remove him as a councillor.
“However, it's common knowledge that GOOD and UDM don't have the numbers for the motion to succeed.”
ALSO READ :GOOD, UDM file no confidence motion against NMB speaker
