Question NW2497 to the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs

Reply:

a) The municipal council has not received any notification of a Councillor from the Auditor-General that any councilor is a party to, or beneficiary under a contract for the provision of goods or services. The municipal council has not received any notification that a councillor’s spouse, partner, business associate or close family member acquired or stands to acquire any direct benefit from a contract concluded with the municipality.

b) Not applicable

In terms of Schedule 1: Code of Conduct for Councillors, of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act, item 5 on Disclosure of interest

1. A councillor must –

(a) disclose to the municipal council, or to any committee of which that councillor is a member, any direct or indirect personal or private business interest that that councillor, or any spouse, partner or business associate of that councillor may have in any matter before the council or the committee; and

b) withdraw from the proceedings of the council or committee when that matter is considered by the council or committee, unless the council or committee decides that the councillor's direct or indirect interest in the matter is trivial or irrelevant.

2. A councillor who, or whose spouse, partner, business associate or close family member, acquired or stands to acquire any direct benefit from a contract concluded with the municipality, must disclose full particulars of the benefit of which the councillor is aware at the first meeting of the municipal council at which it is possible for the councillor to make the disclosure

3. This section does not apply to an interest or benefit which a councillor, or a spouse, partner, business associate or close family member, has or acquires in common with other residents of the municipality.

Ends