Six months after being sworn in as mayor of the Bitou municipality, Claude Terblanche is facing a call for his removal.
The DA, Active United Front (AUF) and Ikhwezi Political Movement (IPM) have signed and submitted a motion of no confidence against the mayor.
IPM is part of a four-party coalition that includes the Plett Democratic Congress (PDC), to which Terblanche belongs, the ANC and the PA.
The coalition has seven of the 13 seats in council.
If the DA, with its five seats, joins forces with the AUF and IPM, each holding one seat, they would form a majority capable of unseating Terblanche — assuming their alliance remains intact until the special council meeting to table the no-confidence motion.
A petition sent to speaker Sandiso Gcabayi called for an urgent meeting on August 19.
In his motion, DA caucus leader Bill Nel said councillors had no confidence in the mayor.
Nel said the parties’ concerns stemmed from the overall management of the municipality’s finances, including a decline in service delivery in areas critical to the municipality’s wellbeing.
“Being worried alone is not enough, we needed to make sure that we had adequate water supply that accommodates all the areas in Plettenberg Bay,” Nel said.
“We all have deep concerns about the capacity of our sewage works, and to deal with all the additional sewage that is coming in.
“I think that we have fallen behind as a result of lack of attention to these very serious strategic areas.”
Nel said the present leadership did not have the foresight to manage the municipality.
The motion was supported by DA councillor Dave Swart who was ousted as mayor in February.
Gcabayi said he was not aware of the motion.
Terblanche said he would accept whatever decision the council took with his head held high.
“I have seen the motion, and as the council’s leader, I will listen to all councillors and acknowledge their concerns.
“I’ve served this town well and delivered services to the people, during my time I was able to achieve some of the things I always wanted to bring to the people.
“Whatever comes I will accept it,” Terblanche said.
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