It’s just inconsiderate…
STANDERTON – The congregation of the Dutch Reformed Church of Standerton and Lekwa Local Municipality are at loggerheads regarding the booking of the Standerton Town Hall. Each year, the Church books the Hall for their annual bazaar held on the last weekend of May. According to their minister, Reverend Riaan Botha, the congregation has booked, reserved and paid for the venue months ago. Last week Tuesday, he was summoned to the Municipality to discuss the booking of the Hall.
He was told by Mr Sipho Mkhwanazi that the Mayor will be using the hall on Friday, 29 May, for her budget speech. Mkhwanazi said that: “We do not want to resort to force, but the Mayor is going to deliver her speech.” According to Reverend Botha, this did not go down very well knowing that the congregation relies on this annual event to help them secure some money. He said that they make use of the Town Hall specifically because of its location, being in the middle of town.
The fact that the hall was booked and the fact that they have already secured deals with people to supply meat and other fresh produce which was planned for well in advance, could lead to serious financial losses to the congregation. Reverend Botha said that it is not only rude from the Office of the Mayor, but very inconsiderate. The Mayor used other days of the week before to give her budget speech to a select few and the congregation feels that she could have done the same.
Cllr Rosier de Ville said that it shows the lack of respect and arrogance from the Office of the Mayor towards honouring an agreement and that the Mayor is misusing her status and authority with disregard to others. He said that he supports any just cause for democracy where every person and the state respect the rights of others without abuse and that the Mayor should not bitter relations with the community. Cllr De Ville said that the comment of Mr Mkhwanazi stating that they do not want to resort to force is irresponsible and unprofessional.