The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality political leaders have initiated the inspection of all Ward Councillors’ offices in preparation for the reopening of the offices following the easing of the COVID-19 lockdown regulations.
The inspection was led NMBM Council Speaker Councillor Buyelwa Mafaya and Chief Whip Councillor Ncediso Captain who were joined by Mayoral Committee Members, Councillors Makhi Feni, Queenie Pink and Yolisa Pali.
A total of 10 offices were inspected when the programme started last week, more offices will be inspected in the next coming weeks.
A total of 13 Ward Councillors’ offices have been vandalised.
Speaker Mafaya said: “It is critical that Councillors offices are fully functional. Unfortunately COVID-19 lockdown regulations were used by criminals to break into offices and cause damages. For the past five months we have recieved a lot of service deliver backlogs, we need those offices ready to accelerate services.”
The first visits were conducted in Wards 15, 16, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 and 30, with the aim to assess any vandalism and the state of readiness of the offices before reopening to residents.
Safety and Security Portfolio Head Councillor Queenie Pink said: “We have observed with great concern the vandalism of our facilities, especially the Ward Councillors’ offices, which has left our Councillors unable to render some services to the communities. A lot of equipment was stolen during the higher levels of the lockdown.”
“During Lockdown levels 5, 4 and 3, Ward Councillors’ offices were closed and it was therefore difficult for the Ward Councillors to establish what was stolen and check the extent of the damage. The NMBM Safety and Security directorate together with our Facilities Office are now going around all wards to establish the state of Ward Councillors’ offices and the challenges faced by our Ward Councillors. Ward Councillors are there to render services to the people; once their offices are dysfunctional, our communities suffer.”
The inspection showed that brazen thieves broke ceilings, lights and locker doors. They also made away Municipal assets including stoves, geysers, electric cables and sinks in addition to other damages.
The MMCs issued a strong warning against the vandalism of Councillors’ offices, emphasising that the offices played a vital role in delivering services in communities.
“We have developed a programme that will go straight to the wards. We started in the Champion Galela and Govan Mbeki Clusters. Our aim is to cover all clusters in the Metro. We would like to urge residents to protect the places where they get services from and to protect what they have, because once it is destroyed, it is not easy to replace. We need to take care of what we have.
“While the Metro is dealing with the devastating COVID-19 pandemic, the impact of Day Zero requires us to double our efforts to ensure that every household has access to water and that good hygiene and good health is maintained. The vandalism of Councillors’ offices and theft in these facilities will compromise the City’s accelerated service delivery obligation,” Councillor Pink added.
Cases have been opened with the South African Police Service and residents are urged to assist the police if they have information regarding the crimes.
NMB Communications
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