KATLEGO MATHEBE, speaker of the Tshwane council. Oupa Mokoena African News Agency (ANA) KATLEGO MATHEBE, speaker of the Tshwane council. Oupa Mokoena African News Agency (ANA)
Pretoria - Embattled Tshwane speaker Katlego Mathebe says she has always followed the rules and orders in all the sittings of council.
Mathebe yesterday said she would like to know how she was derelict in her duties, as claimed by MEC Lebogang Maile.
Speaking ahead of the council's monthly sitting tomorrow, Mathebe said she was not worried. “My work is not to be safe or to ensure that I remain the speaker; it is to preside over the meeting. If the motion comes and it is dealt with procedurally and legally we are willing to move to the opposition benches.”
The ANC and EFF have made numerous attempts to table motions of no confidence against Mathebe and Executive Mayor Stevens Mokgalapa. However, the matters are yet to see the light of day owing to a dispute on who should preside over them.
While the speaker could not reveal whether or not the motions would be tabled or permissible, she said tomorrow’s was not a continuation of the last special sitting at which the motions were on the agenda. Mathebe said this was an ordinary sitting, and as it stood, there were no such items on the agenda.
This could, however, change as political parties are allowed to file urgent motions of no confidence at least two hours before council sits.
Mathebe said she had granted meeting requests over and above ordinary sittings; when it comes to special council sittings all rules and orders were determined by the speaker. “I didn’t dothis; it was promulgated before I even took office in 2016.”
Referring to the last sitting which collapsed, Mathebe said she had the responsibility to look at motions of no confidence and determine if they were permissible.
“I could not even get to that point and the councillors walked out; so who is derelicting their duty here? What is it in law that I did not do or apply?”
She also denied stonewalling any motions from the parties to ensure she remained the speaker.
“I assisted them to convene meetings correctly according to law so they complied in December and January If they cannot do that correctly I cannot write and submit letters for them to push their agendas.”
She said the necessary steps were not followed by the MEC when he reached the decision to suspend her for six months without pay last week.
“There are provisions to get to the determination he got to and he did not follow the steps.
“Whatever happened yesterday when he decided to rescind his decision and follow the law. So far, I have not received anything, or any document to say he rescinded the suspension. It is yet to be received.”