North West SCOPA to Summon Matlosana Municipal Mayor and Speaker of Matlosana for Failure to Appear before the Committee and Account for the Mayor’s Vehicle Accident
The North West Legislature’ Standing Committee on Provincial Public Accounts (SCOPA) has resolved to serve summons to the Mayor Cllr Maetu Kgaile and the Speaker Cllr Washington Ntozini of Matlosana Local Municipality for failure to appear before the Committee to account on the mayor’s vehicle accident that occurred on 8 November 2016 in Gauteng.
The Mayor sent an unsigned apology stating that she is attending a meeting of the National Parliament Portfolio Committee whilst SCOPA is aware that the Committee met with them the previous day.
Section 14 of the Powers, Privileges and Immunities of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures Act, 2004 (Act No 24 of 2004) hereinafter referred to as “the Act” read with Section 115(a) of the Constitution , further read with the North West Provincial Legislature Rule 60(3) gives the Legislature powers to summon people to appear before it.
Failure to attend the meeting by the people who have been summoned, is a criminal offence, punishable upon conviction, by a fine and imprisonment as contemplated in Section 17 of the Act.
Standing Committee Chairperson, Hon. Mahlakeng Mahlakeng said the political leadership of Matlosana’s failure to appear or submit written apologies is a complete disrespect and contempt of the Provincial Legislature as the matter before the Committee was very serious. “Their absence in a meeting creates further complications on how the accident happened in Gauteng when the mayor was not even in the vehicle. It raises more eyebrows on what the driver of the vehicle was doing in Gauteng. We will look deeper into the matter and if needs be, we might conduct a separate investigation,” said Hon. Mahlakeng.
He said the Standing Committee appreciates the ongoing investigation conducted by the Municipal Public Accounts Committee.
Namhla Luhabe
Tel : 018 392 7000
Cell: 079 527 0628
Fax : 086 695 3784
Email: namhla@nwpl.org.za
