Updated
Following a string of allegations previously, the ANC in Kouga has sent the following statement to all media following the announcement this week to the public that Kouga’s mayor, Horatio Hendricks, is taking up a position in the Eastern Cape Provincial legislature :
“TO: ALL PRINT & ELECTRONIC MEDIA HOUSES
FROM: THE ANC CAUCUS KOUGA LOCAL COUNCIL
SUBJECT: SUDDEN RESIGNATION AND DEPARTURE OF KOUGA EXECUTIVE MAYOR HORATIO HENDRICKS
“FOR IMMEDIATE RESPONSE
The ANC alleges the following remarks and comments:
“The sudden resignation and departure of the former executive mayor of Kouga has not come as a surprise as it’s a known fact that he was engulfed with scandals which prompted the ANC Caucus to table several MOTIONS OF NO CONFIDENCE against him.
The ANC adds that the following allegations must equally be registered:
That when the DA took over in 2016, Kouga Municipality had R165 million as a surplus however in 2018/19 the Auditor General’s findings were THAT KOUGA WAS TECHNICALLY BANKRUPT this was a municipality under the DA.
The following allegations were captured in the local ANC’s motion of ‘No Confidence in the mayor Horatio Hendricks’ and were published in the media:
“NEPOTISM
The former executive mayor employed his daughter as an auxiliary officer without meeting the requirements on a salary of plus minus R25000 per month.
- ABUSE OF POWER
That he forced employees at the traffic department to allow his child to write a learners driver exams without an appointment, He further threatened to dismiss the same employees if they refuse to allow his daughter to write the test. - EMPLOYING FRIENDS
- EMPLOYING PEOPLE ON POLITICAL PARTY CARD ETC.
The ANC adds that the following allegations must equally be registered:
That when the DA took over in 2016, Kouga Municipality had R165 million as a surplus however in 2018/19 the Auditor General’s findings were THAT KOUGA WAS TECHNICALLY BANKRUPT – this was a municipality under the DA.
In conclusion the ANC alleges: “That it be noted under Horatio Hendricks, Kouga regressed. It can be seen with a naked eye that THERE’S NO SERVICE DELIVERY IN ALL NON-AFFLUENT AREAS IN KOUGA. “”UNDER THE STEWARDSHIP of the former DA mayor, our people still live in squalor and inhumane conditions.
“The recent service delivery protests bare testimony that the poor and downtrodden suffered immensely under the former executive mayor of Kouga in fact the R1.3 billion rand was for the rich and affluent of Kouga and it means nothing to the poor.
“We regrettably see Horatio Hendricks people suffering as he authorized blocking of electricity whilst people were not even served with municipal accounts. He bows out from Kouga having lost the war on potholes. He leaves behind a legacy of vandalism of key facilities like the Kouga Cultural Centre, the Humansdorp Caravan Park and the Park and the Humansdorp Country club, under him Kouga does not have sport fields.”
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Statement published by the DA in Kouga:
𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐊𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐨𝐫 𝐇𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐮𝐩 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐂 𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞
Issued by Andrew Whitfield MP, DA Eastern Cape Provincial Leader
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Eastern Cape is pleased to announce that former Executive Mayor of the Kouga Municipality, Horatio Hendricks has been appointed as a DA member in the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature.
The PR councillor vacancy that was created after Horatio accepted his new position, has been filled by Gregory Stuurman who hails from Loerie.
Hendricks made himself available for the vacant MPL position created by the resignation of Edmund Van Vuuren. Hendricks excelled during an extensive interview process and was identified as the best candidate by the selection panel.
Hendricks was elected as Kouga mayor following the tragic passing of former Mayor Elza Van Lingen in 2018. Since then he has ensured that the DA government has made massive strides in turning the fortunes of Kouga around.
Deputy Mayor Hattingh Bornman will act as mayor in the interim until a new mayor is elected at the council meeting scheduled for Friday, 30 June 2023.
The DA wishes to thank Horatio for the sterling work he did during his tenure as Kouga Mayor and we know that he will also be successful in the provincial legislature.
St Francis Chronicle 