Announcing nine members of her executive mayoral committee on Thursday, the Democratic Alliance’s Helen Zille said the DA still had a vacancy for the Independent Democrats, which rejected a revised offer to join the multiparty government of the city of Cape Town.
Addressing the media, Zille sketched the background to the latest negotiations with the ID, which included broad agreement on an upgraded offer to accommodate Patricia de Lille’s party.
The offer tabled on Wednesday evening entailed two seats on the mayoral committee, three sub-council chairs and four bargaining council positions.
”The ID we learnt was very keen to accept that offer, but unfortunately it was vetoed at the final minute by the leader of the Independent Democrats.”
Zille said the vacant seat, for the amenities and sport portfolio, would be held open as long as possible without it burdening the deputy mayor, Andrew Arnolds, who agreed to fill the position temporarily.
She said in talks with ID councillors and ordinary members it was clear that there was no unanimity on the question of filling the position.
”If they were unanimous in their rejection we would close the door,” Zille said.
She expressed confidence in her 13-strong mayoral committee team, which comprised six DA members and one each from the African Christian Democratic Party, Africa Muslim Party, United Democratic Movement, Universal Party, United Independent Front, Freedom Front Plus, and the one vacancy.
This coalition, and the quid pro quo it entailed, enabled Zille to see off ANC mayoral contender Nomaindia Mfeketo by a slender three votes in last week’s mayoral election.
”I’ve been more than impressed with the expertise, the commitment and integrity of the people who are our partners. And it was very easy in fact, surprisingly easy, allocating portfolios because people’s preferences fitted in very well with their expertise and my thinking.”
Zille said the members had what she called ”transferable skills”, the most important of which was getting to the cutting edge of an issue quickly and learning with alacrity.
Asked about the vexed question of remuneration to the mayoral committee team, Zille said this was not discussed in any detail.
”But this issue does not drive us, I can assure you of that.”
Zille said the positions were enormously complex, ”whole-time jobs”.
Considering the complexity, responsibility and insecurity attached to the posts, Zille said it was in ”no way out of kilter” with possible remuneration packages, particularly when considering what the private sector offered. – Sapa