Town clerk attempts to boycott councillors meeting

Patricia Edwin
Staff Writer | Tuesday May 7, 2013 00:00

 

Amos had delayed the meeting by confining himself to his office.A number of councillors had called the meeting over poor service delivery in the city, which they felt is turning the electorate against them. Councillors cried that Amos was taking them for granted and said they would not beg him to do his work.

Things fell apart as early as 9am when only a few councillors, staff and members of the public sat shooting the breeze in the chambers. The meeting had been adjourned amid recriminations on Monday.Both the mayor and the city clerk were nowhere to be seen.Committee chairpersons and former mayors were subsequently requested, albeit in vain, to intervene as the town clerk was virtually refusing to come to the meeting. Former mayors Shadreck Nyeku and Ignatius Moswaane pointedly shook their heads in refusal, opting to continue the waiting game while threatening to also leave 'if the city clerk does not come to his senses soon'.

When he eventually made his way to the chambers, Amos had to endure a thorough tongue lashing from the councillors.'No member of staff shall strike against a full council. That staff member shall be dismissed.If the town clerk is going to refuse to come for work, we will have to look for new leadership in this council,' Moswaane sternly warned.

He further said that ever since Amos came to FCC, service delivery has deteriorated. 'Really what is he striking about? Just because we say we want an explanation from HODs about the technical difficulties they might be experiencing in their departments that are affecting service delivery?' Moswaane wondered.He advised that service delivery is cause for all stakeholders to work together.

'I do not pray to people or idols and I am very embarrassed about this morning where a council meeting can begin one and half hours late because the city clerk is on strike,' said Nyeku.He further advised the mayor James Kgalajwe, 'Whether the city clerk is coming to the meeting or not, you need to be here at nine in the morning sitting in the chair that we voted you into'.

Most councillors also expressed their distaste at the behaviour of the city clerk, insisting that they want services to be delivered to Francistowners. Amos eventually apologised to the council.