Chief Whip is responsible for:

• Political management of council meetings and committee meetings
• Inform councillors of meetings called by the Speaker and the Mayor and ensuring that such meetings quorate
• Advises the Speaker and Mayor on the Council agenda
• Informs councillors on important matters on the relevant agenda
• Advise the Speaker on the amount of time to be allocated to speakers and the order of such speakers addressing the Council
• Ensures that councillors’ motions are prepared and timeously tabled in terms of the procedural rules of Council
• Assists the Speaker in the counting of votes
• Advising the Speaker and the Mayor of urgent motions
• Advising the Speaker and Mayor on how to deal with important items not disposed of at a Council meeting

Functions of the Speakers as set out in Section 37 of the Structures Act:

• Presides at meetings of the council
• Performs the duties and exercises the powers delegated to the speaker in terms of Section 59 of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act, 2000 (Act 32 of 2000)
• Ensures that the council meets at least quarterly
• Maintain order during meetings
• Ensures compliance in the council and council committees with the Code of Conduct set out in Schedule 1 to the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act, 2000 (Act 32 of 2000)
• Must ensure that council meetings are conducted in accordance with the rules and orders of the council

Powers and functions of the Executive Mayor as set out in Section 56 of the Structures Act:

The executive mayor in performing the duties of office, must:

• Identify and develop criteria in terms of which progress in the implementation of the strategies, programmes and services can be evaluated, including key performance indicators which are specific to the municipality and common to local government in general
• Evaluate progress against the key performance indicators
• Review the performance of the municipality in order to improve the economy, efficiency and effectiveness of the municipality; the efficiency of credit control and revenue and debt collection services; and the implementation of the municipality’s by-laws
• Monitor the management of the municipality’s administration in accordance with the directions of the municipal council
• Oversee the provision of services to communities in the municipality in a sustainable manner
• Annually report on the involvement of communities and community organisations in the affairs of the municipality; and ensure that regard is given to public views and report on the effect of consultation on the decisions of the council