No one asked me in person to leave

Tony Pronk, Table View

I note with interest in your article that Mandy Da Matta asked me to leave the meeting.

I would like to state that she did not and in fact nobody asked me in person to leave the meeting.

I was standing next to Orielle when Ms Da Matta asked her to leave.

I would also like to state that as one of the 29 involved in the “audit report”, I should have the right to attend a community meeting where that “audit report” was on the agenda for feedback.

Having an item on the agenda involving me, I should also have the right to attend, listen and if needed, be able to respond or correct any possible wrongs, ie the fact that Ms Da Matta/Exco changed the scope of the original request by the 29 members.

I find it very strange that since July 2016 Ms Da Matta has not allowed public discussions in the TVRA meetings as those were always interesting (for 30 years plus) and what democracy and transparency is about.

It is because of behind closed door “meetings” and censorship and expulsions that she finds herself in the firing line continuously and maybe also why nearly 20 different people have come and gone on the TVRA exco in the past year. Another 30-year first.

The executive committee of the Table View Ratepayers’ Association responds:

We can and will provide all meeting minutes with regards to all the public meetings we, in fact, held.

At all our public meetings we had healthy debate, which included our ward councillors, we invited speakers, such as (the City’s mayoral committee member for safety and security, and social development) JP Smith, Chief Inspector Wayne Aldridge and Chief Inspector Valentyn, Colonel Vosloo, to name a few.

We launched a recycling initiative, have consistently discussed taxi concerns, water concerns, fireworks, community clean-ups etc.

Unfortunately we cannot agree with Tony Pronk as we can prove otherwise.

We have provided Tabletalk with the audit report in question, and will be happy to take your questions with regards to such.

We remind you that the main focus of the TVRA is to further the concerns of all our members in a positive and constructive manner.