DP CHALLENGES JOHANNESBURG TMC'S HOLIDAYS FOR COUNCILLORS

JOHANNESBURG Aug 26 Sapa

The Democratic Party has challenged the Johannesburg
Transitional Metropolitan Council exucutive committee's right to
give councillors a paid semi-holiday until January.

The DP said in a statement in Johannesburg on Saturday the
semi-holiday would be at the public's expense while councillors,
among others, campaigned for the November 1 local government
elections.

"This irresponsible decision was taken in an underhand way
which makes a mockery of accountability," the statement read.

DP local government election campaign leader Anchen Dreyer said
no notice was given of the resolution.

She said the resolution was "bulldozed through" when Liberal
Democratic Alliance leader Ian Davidson left the committee meeting
to deal with another urgent matter.

She called for a no-work, no-pay rule to be enforced on
councillors "shirking their duties".

"Unless this step is reversed, ratepayers should demand they
(councillors) resign now," Dreyer said.

She also accused the committee of under-performing when it came
to making decisions.

"Too many issues drag on because they are deferred, withdrawn,
held over or referred elsewhere. Exco (the executive committee)
routinely has continuation meetings when it fails to get through
its agendas."

Dreyer said many meetings had been abandoned because
absenteeism by councillors left them without a quorum.