Prominent local advocate and politician, Jock McConnachie, has launched a new political movement called the Makana New Deal. He says the the aim of the New Deal is to take control of local government and reinstate the system of directly accountable, independent councillors of standing in the community.
Prominent local advocate and politician, Jock McConnachie, has launched a new political movement called the Makana New Deal. He says the the aim of the New Deal is to take control of local government and reinstate the system of directly accountable, independent councillors of standing in the community.
McConnachie argues that the current system makes councillors too dependent on political affiliation. He therefore believes that independent councillors will be able to work more effectively in the interets of their constituents.
The following table shows how McConnachie believes the New Deal will change the political landscape at local level:
| NOW | NEW DEAL |
| Decisions behind closed doors by Mayoral committee | Decisions in open council involving all councillors |
| Open council decisions dictated by party caucus | No caucuses. All councillors enjoy free vote |
| Councillors selected by the ANC | Councillors stand for election in their own right |
| Councillors accountable to teh ANC as party representatives | uncillors directly accountable to voters in a personal capacity |
| No more executive mayor system/fulltime councillors | All councillors part-time and of equal status |
| Officials appointed for party loyalty | Officials appointed only on merit/ability to do their job |
| Now: Functions of councillors and officials blurred | Paid officials to do work. Councillors to exercise oversight |
| Fulltime councillors earning excessive salaries and enjoying excessive fringe benefits | No fulltime councillors. No fancy fringe benefits |
| Wasteful expenditure on entertainment and non-essentials | Drastic cutbacks on entertainment and non-essential expenditure |
| Ward committees not functional | Ward councillors to be responsible for convening monthly ward committee meetings and keeping minutes of these. |
Related story: McConnachie's New Deal launches quietly
