Chapter 29:15 URBAN COUNCILS ACT (b) in the case of any subsequent meeting of the council, by the person who, immediately before the election, held the office of chairman or, failing him, by the person who at that time held the office of deputy chairman or, in the absence of both such persons, by a councillor elected by the councillors present to preside at that meeting. (8) If the mayor presides over a meeting to elect a deputy mayor, he shall have a casting vote in addition to his deliberative vote in the event of an equality of votes. (9) If the person presiding over a meeting to elect a chairman, deputy mayor or deputy chairman is not a member of the council, he shall have no vote in the election. 104 Functions of deputy mayor (1) Whenever the office of mayor or chairman is vacant or the mayor or chairman is absent or incapacitated or fails to act, the deputy mayor shall perform the functions of the mayor or chairman in terms of this Act or any other law or any resolution of the council. (2) Save as otherwise provided in subsection (6) of section one hundred and three, whenever the offices of both the mayor or chairman and the deputy mayor are vacant or both the mayor or chairman and the deputy mayor are absent or incapacitated or fail to act, their functions in terms of this Act or any other law or any resolution of the council shall be exercised by a councillor appointed by the council for the purpose or, failing such appointment, by a councillor appointed by the Minister, and such councillor shall, while performing his duties, be designated— (a) in the case of a municipal council, the acting mayor; (b) in the case of a town council, the acting chairman. (3) For the purposes of this section, a certificate under the hand of the town clerk as to the existence of a vacancy in the office, or the absence or incapacity, of the mayor, chairman or deputy mayor or the failure of the mayor, chairman or deputy mayor to act shall be prima facie evidence of that fact. 105 Allowances for deputy mayor and chairman (1) Subject to subsection (2)— (a) a municipal council shall pay to the deputy mayor; and (b) a town council shall pay to the chairman; an allowance at a monthly rate fixed by the council, not exceeding such rate as may be prescribed, to cover the general and personal expenses incidental to the office of deputy mayor or chairman, as the case may be. (2) Where the deputy mayor or a councillor is required in terms of subsection (2) of section one hundred and four to perform the functions of the mayor for a period exceeding fourteen days, he shall be paid an allowance fixed by the council for the period he so performs such duties: Provided that no allowance payable to the deputy mayor in terms of subsection (1) shall be paid to him in terms of subsection (1) in respect of any period for which he is paid an allowance in terms of this subsection. 106 Appointment of aldermen (1) A municipal council may appoint to the dignity of alderman any person who has held office as mayor or councillor on that council for a period of, or for periods which in the aggregate amount to, “eight years or more in the case of mayor, or ten years or more in the case of a councillor.”. (2) An alderman may retain the title of alderman and use the crest and armorial bearings designated by the council for aldermen, whether he is a councillor or not. 107 Disability for voting on account of interest in contract, etc. (1) If a councillor or member of a committee has any pecuniary interest, direct or indirect, in any contract or proposed contract or other matter and is present at a meeting of the council or committee at which that contract or other matter is the subject of consideration, he shall at that meeting, as soon as practicable after the commencement of the discussion of the item in which 38