Political Structures

Bergrivier Municipality is established in terms of Section 12 of the Local Government Municipal Structures Act, 1998 (Act 117 of 1998) (Municipal Structures Act) as a Executive Mayoral System combined with a Ward Participatory System. The Municipality has the following political structures:

• MUNICIPAL COUNCIL

The Municipal Council comprises 13 Councillors, seven of whom are Ward Councillors and six of whom are Proportional Representation (PR) Councillors. The Municipal Council is led by the DA. The Municipal Council meets on a quarterly basis.

The following include photos of each of the newly elected councillors:

• OFFICE OF THE SPEAKER

The Speaker is the Chairperson of the Municipal Council and performs his functions in terms of a framework of powers assigned by legislation and powers delegated by the Municipal Council in terms of the Municipal Systems Act.

• THE EXECUTIVE MAYOR AND EXECUTIVE MAYORAL COMMITTEE

Alderman Van Rooy was elected as the new Executive Mayor. The Executive Mayor is at the centre of the governance system and is responsible for providing political and strategic leadership. Executive power is vested in the Executive Mayor, in accordance with a framework of powers assigned by legislation as well as powers delegated by the Municipal Council in terms of the Municipal Systems Act, 2000, (Act 32 of 2000). To maximise operational efficiency, the Municipal Council has delegated all powers except those which it is may does not delegate by law to the Executive Mayor. The Executive Mayor is assisted by the Mayoral Committee. The Executive Mayoral Committee is chaired by the Executive Mayor and comprises the Deputy Mayor and two full time and one part time Councillors. This Committee meets at least once a month, 10 months of the year.

• PORTFOLIO COMMITTEES

In terms of Section 80(2) of the MSA, the Section 80-committees established to assist the executive mayor may not in number exceed the number of members of the mayoral committee. It is therefore clear that Bergrivier Municipality currently has the maximum amount of Section 80 committees allowed by law, namely three (3).

In terms of the approved macro structure, the Municipality reverted to four directorates and therefore another committee had to be established for the Directorate Corporate Services’ functions.

Section 79 of the MSA allows a Municipal Council to establish one or more committees necessary for the effective and efficient performance of any of its functions or the exercise of any of its powers (Section 79(1)(a)). There are no legal restrictions on the number of committees established in terms of this section. These committees will normally report directly to Council, but the Executive Mayor is entitled, in terms of Section 56(1), to determine that all committees of Council (Section 79 and 80) submit any reports to the Executive Mayor for consideration and decision-making in terms of delegated authority, or for consideration and recommendation (as the case may be) to Council. Council approved the establishment of a committee in terms of Section 79 of the Municipal Structures Act, 1998 (Act 117 of 1998) to serve as a standing committee for the Corporate Services’ functions as from 20 July 2018 and is chaired by a councillor appointed by Council. Similarly, Council approved a Section 79 Committee for Local Economic Development, Public Participation and Communication.

The five Portfolio Committees appointed in terms of the Municipal Structures Act, (117 of 1998 Section, 79 and 80) are the following:

• Financial Services Committee (Section 80);

• Community Services Committee (Section 80);

• Technical Services Committee (Section 80);

• Corporate Services Committee (Section 79); and

• Economic Development Committee (Section 79).

Portfolio Committees have no delegated powers and may only make recommendations to the Mayoral Committee.