ANC, Cederberg Eerste establish Government of Local Unity

The African National Congress (ANC) and the Cederberg Eerste Residents Association (Cederberg Eerste - CE) in the Western Cape announced the signing of a historic statement of intent to jointly govern the Cederberg Municipality and establish a Government of Local Unity (GLU).

In a joint statement by the parties, CE President, Dr Ruben Richards, and ANC Western Cape Secretary, Neville Delport said this agreement would represent a shared commitment to restoring stability, improving service delivery, and prioritising the needs of the residents in the Cederberg.

The people of Cederberg have faced numerous challenges due to financial constraints, capacity shortages, and political instability.

Both the CE and the ANC said they recognised that these issues require urgent and collaborative action. This partnership is rooted in the shared understanding that political unity and inclusive governance are critical to addressing the needs of residents, it said.

“Over the past months, differences between CE and the Democratic Alliance (DA) have created a breakdown in cooperation, leading to dysfunction within the council and threatening service delivery. It has become clear that a new path is needed to restore political and administrative stability in the municipality,” it said. 

“The GLU agreement reflects a spirit of collaboration, unity, and a shared vision for the future of Cederberg. This partnership reaffirms the commitment of both parties to prioritise the delivery of basic services, promote fiscal responsibility, and rebuild trust in local government structures,” the parties said.

As part of their agreement, parties were open to broadening the GLU to include other political parties that are committed to advancing the interests of residents of Cederberg.

Both parties believe inclusive governance is essential to addressing the challenges facing the municipality and the broader issues impacting the nation.

“Consultative processes will be initiated to operationalise this statement of Intent and ensure that the partnership delivers tangible results for the people of Cederberg. Both CE and the ANC pledge to work tirelessly in the interest of the community, guided by the voices of the voters and the principles of unity and inclusivity,” both parties stated.

However, the DA has expressed its "deep disappointment" with the decision of the CE.

Western Cape leader Tertuis Simmers and its West Region chairperson, Koos Steyn said this was nothing more than a coalition between the CE and ANC.

The DA said it was obvious that the CE chose to team up with the ANC over facing accountability. It said this shows that by voting for smaller parties, voters are not sure where or to who their votes were going to.

“While the DA acknowledges the challenges faced in the municipality, we firmly believe this new coalition with the ANC is a major threat to open, honest, and transparent service delivery to Cederberg residents. This political ploy is a guise to place greedy, power-hungry politicians’ needs above the interests and wellbeing of the local residents,” it said.

robin.francke@iol.co.za

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