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The Democratic Alliance (DA) is elated that Henriette du Plessis has been reinstated as the Mayor of Gamagara municipality until the DA’s court battle against her unlawful removal resumes on 13 September.

The Kimberley High Court yesterday ruled that the Municipal Manager of Gamagara and the twelve other respondents in the case, are interdicted from taking any decisions or undertaking any actions pursuant to the decisions of the Council, on 7 August. The ruling therefore invalidates the removal of du Plessis through a motion of no confidence (MONC) by the ANC and EFF doomsday coalition and the subsequent election of an ANC Mayor. The ruling also invalidates the removal of the Gamagara Community Forum (GCF) Speaker, Shepherd Mines, and the subsequent election of an EFF Speaker.

Yesterday’s judgment is a victory for democracy, the rule of law and for the people of Gamagara. It should also serve as a warning to political parties that illegal power grabs in council, that seek to gain access to resources at the cost-of-service delivery, will not be tolerated.

The DA Mayor has made a very positive impact in the Gamagara community during her two months on the job and has clearly demonstrated the difference that a DA administration makes. Amongst other things, this includes turning around a budgetary shortfall of R47 million into a R19 million surplus within 10 days of being sworn in. Within her first week, Du Plessis also got rid of a luxury mayoral vehicle and rented two bakkies for the electricity and roads departments instead.

Du Plessis will waste no time getting back to work today. She also plans to act on the damage incurred by the ANC/EFF over the past three weeks. This includes holding the Municipal Manager accountable for wasteful and fruitless expenditure after payment was made for the locks on her office door to be changed, to stop her from performing her duties. It also entails cancelling a new lease for an Audi, entered into by the unlawful ANC mayor, and the lease of a bakkie for the EFF Speaker.

While we will be back in court later this month to further challenge the MONC, we appeal to Gamagara municipality to put politics aside and to allow the prioritization of services in Gamagara to prevail under the DA mayorship.

Issued by Harold McGluwa, MPL - DA Northern Cape Provincial Leader