Oudtshoorn, 19 August 2016 – A proportional candidate for the South African Religious Civic Organization (SARCO) who could not attend the Oudtshoorn Municipal Council first meeting, will forthwith participate in the activities and business of Council, the Speaker of the Greater Oudtshoorn, Cllr. Julia le Roux Krowitz has confirmed.
A group of SARCO members visited the Oudtshoorn Municipality’s headquarters on Friday morning, 19 August 2016 demanding answers for the alleged exclusion of their member from the Inaugural meeting on 16 August 2016.
It was explained to the party members that there was never an intention to exclude their proportional candidate to be sworn in as Councillor in Council at the inaugural Council Meeting. The acting Municipal Manager, Mr. Allan Paulse, after having being informed that the party wanted to change its Proportional list candidate, followed the legislative required due processes and informed the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) accordingly.
At the commencement of the Inaugural Council meeting held on 16 August 2016, Mr. Paulse, who was presiding, informed the attendees that the SARCO proportional representative was not present since no formal notification of replacement was received from the IEC at that point in time. It is the function of the IEC to declare councillors duly elected.
It has subsequently emerged that the IEC has sent confirmation of the SARCO member replacement at about 12:00 on the day of the meeting.
The Speaker Julia le Roux Krowitz who was accompanied by the Executive Mayor, Cllr. Colan Sylvester in the meeting with the SARCO members, has assured the inclusion and participation of a SARCO proportional member in the business of Council in future.