www.MyPE.co.za: To see how hard working Ward Councillors go about their jobs, see Jeremy Davis‘ report on what he’s been up to thus far this month in Ward 5.
WARD 5 MONTHLY ACTIVITY REPORT (Central, Richmond Hill, North End and Sydenham)
1. Elections 2011
Governments with no prospect of losing elections become self-serving and corrupt. They need racial divisions to stay in power: they undermine the rule of law to stay out of jail. Their legacy is the failed state, which has caused so much misery and poverty on our continent. – Helen Zille
Please keep in mind that the DA membership is renewable annually at a very minimal fee of R10. Please give Nictjie at my office a call or come and visit us in the office to renew your membership or to become a member of the DA.
If you are not registered or want to ensure that you are on the voters roll for the 2011 Local Municipal Election visit their new offices or you can use the following methods:
- IEC Offices, 122 Cape Road, Tel: 041-373 8604 or 041-373 8611
- DA Offices, Tel: 041-582 1770
- Ward Councillor Offices, Tel: 041-373 0028
- Website: www.elections.org.za
- SMS your ID to 32810
Anybody who reads this newsletter who would also like to help with canvassing for the up and coming elections, please let me know.
2. Dam Levels
This schedule of the dam levels reveal that they have gained about 3x the weekly usage less the last weeks consumption , after what we saw as “nice” rain . We obviously need considerably more to get to at least 60-70%.
The picture of an overflowing dam in Graaff-Reinet shows their dam was already almost 60% full before the recent rains.
Major Storage Dams supplying the Metro (levels as at 21 Feb 2011): Average all – 35,2% of total combined capacity.
3. Sussex Cricketers Visit Ben Sinuka Primary School
In February I initiated a visit to the Ben Sinuka Primary School for thirteen Sussex players including my son Mark Davis, who is their coach. Mark captained the Northern Titans for 10 years and played for Sussex for five years. He says they plan on coming back next year and want to make it a regular visit as long as there is funding. The players spent the afternoon playing a game of cricket with 45 of the young cricketers who really enjoyed having the players at the school, Their coach Nosipho Gwana says it motivates the boys. The players provided new bats and balls for the boys.
4. Free Basic Electricity for ATTP Lesees and Tenants
On 10 June 2010 Council approved that only households who qualify for an Assistance to the Poor (ATTP) subsidy will receive a free electricity token to the value of 75 kWh. Therefore the usage criteria of 300 kWh no longer applies, as from 1st February 2011.
Customers not currently receiving ATTP, but who are receiving this token due to their low monthly usage have been advised to apply for this token via the mentioned ATTP subsidy scheme, in order to continue receiving the free token. Posters have been up at all vending stations since November 2010, in order to inform customers.
To qualify for the token, the total household income of all occupants should not exceed R2 160.00 per month. In order to establish whether a household qualifies, you can take your ID and proof of income of all household occupants to any of the Customer Care Centres.
Once your application has been made, the municipality will visit the applicants’ premises to verify the authenticity of the information received. Disabled applicants can arrange for a house visit by phoning 041 – 506 1320.
Please Note: Qualifying customers will receive 1 x free 75 kWh token per month. Recipients must re-apply every 3rd month for the mentioned token. Tenants of flats and sectional title units can also apply for the free token if the household income does not exceed R2 160.00
5. The National Domestic Waste Collection Standards
The National Domestic Waste Collection Standards, which sought to redress the past imbalances in the provision of waste collection services, would come into effect on February 1.
Water and Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa published the standards under the National Environmental Management: Waste Act.
It aimed at providing a uniform framework within which domestic waste should be collected in South Africa. It came after a consultative process with provinces, municipalities and the general public, and was expected to guide municipalities on how to provide an acceptable, affordable and sustainable waste collection service for enhanced human health and environmental improvement.
The standards covered the levels of service, separation at source (between recyclable and non-recyclable materials), collection vehicles, receptacles, collection of waste in communal collection points, and most importantly, the frequency of collection.
With regard to the issue of separation at source, the document said that this should be encouraged and supported in line with industry waste management plans.
It also stated that all domestic waste must be sorted at source in all metropolitan and secondary cities, and that the service provider, or municipality must provide clear guidelines to households regarding types of waste, the sorting of waste, appropriate containers, and the removal schedules for each type of waste.
The Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) said that non-recyclable material – such as perishable food waste – must be collected at least once a week, and recyclable material – such as paper, plastic, glass – must be collected once every two weeks.
Municipalities had a choice on whether or not to provide different types of bins, taking into consideration the type of vehicles they use. However, the bins should be rigid and durable to prevent spillage and leakage.
The DEA added that the development of the standards took into consideration the existing practices at local government level across the country and sought to build on what has already been achieved.
6. Informal Housing: North End Train Station
Vagrants and thieves are occupying these informal houses. The vagrants live in shacks next to the railway line below the bridge, almost where Patterson and Grahamstown Roads meet.
An appalling and unhygienic situation has been created.
7. Petrol Slips
ALWAYS ask for a cash slip when filling up your vehicle’s tank , even if paying with cash and even if you intend on throwing the slip away, because The pump attendants take these unclaimed cash slips from the cash register attendant and sell these same cash slips to taxi drivers. The taxi drivers then add these cash slips to their own and so inflate their petrol expenses amount from tax, thereby not feeling the pinch of the fuel increases.
8. Metro Legal Department Question to Council
Why is the Legal Department incapable of acting or taking decisions on issues that have been unattended to for sometimes up to 6 years, and I can name the cases? When I read that legal action will be instituted I treat this with considerable scepticism based on past frustrating experiences. Why can the department not take action against businesses that are clearly illegal? This lack of action is quite obviously not in the interest of the community. Furthermore, Why does our large legal department have to rely on outside advise from legal firms at considerable expense to the Metro.
9. Service Delivery
Service delivery is severely hampered by the cash crisis being experienced in our Metro at present – This is well illustrated in these figures. What used to take a couple of days to repair is now taking months. Lack of service for the ratepayers of our Metro (Our financial year ends in June). Contractors are not paid and are reluctant therefore to work.
Tragic but interesting figures:
- Metro cut from current budget – R 800 Million
- From operating budget – R 254 Million
- From capital budget – R 536 Million
- Repairs and maintenance cut – R 62.5 Million
- Of the total cost of the world cup, ratepayers funded – R 878 Million
- Against original budget of – R 340 Million
- An over expenditure of – R 538 Million
- Bucket toilets budget for eradication cut by – R 74 Million
- Resurfacing – tarring and rehabilitation of gravel roads cut by – R 73.85 Million
- Construction of storm water infrastructure cut by – R 50.25 Million
- Traffic and signage improvements cut by – R 10.6 Million
- Sewerage and related services cut by – R 51.85 Million
- Water and related services cut by – R 51.2 Million
- Electricity and related services cut by – R 54.3 Million
- Construction of new clinics cut by – R 17.17 Million
- Upgrade of beaches cut by – R 3.9 Million
- Upgrade of halls and buildings cut by – R 22.3 Million
- Upgrade and development of sports facilities cut by – R 45.3 Million
- Employee related costs cut by – R 21.54 Million
- Money spent on BRT and not functioning – R 112 Million
Finally there is a housing backlog of 85,000 houses.
10. Other Issues in the Ward and Metro
- Red Door – 178 Russell Road, I was present with a number of objectors at the hearing on the 10th February 2011 and also at the site visit. I shall be very surprised if the liquor application is successful.
- The state of the “bricked” section of the Prince Alfred Road outside the stadium entrance continues to be of concern and I have brought this to the attention of BKS (Thobani Popo).
- The Councils plan to spend R17.8 million of ratepayers money on the ANC preparations for the registration on 5th and 6th March 2011 and the elections, (date still to be announced) was rejected in totality by the DA. We shall continue to oppose this wasteful expenditure.
JEREMY DAVIS
WARD 5 COUNCILLOR
P.O Box 12170, Centrahil, Port Elizabeth, 6002
4 Cleveland Road, Central, P.E. 6001
Tel: 041-373-0028
Fax: 041-374-0940
Cell No: 079 490 0017
e-mail: ward5[AT]mandelametro.gov.za
(Ward 5 covers Central, Richmond Hill, North End and Sydenham)
“It is the province of knowledge to speak and it is the privilege of wisdom to listen”
Alan Straton
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I’m surprised to see Jeremy passing on such obviously Urban Legend BS regarding petrol slips. If you take just 2 minutes to think about it, the average taxi driver earns way below the income tax threshold and because their business is 100% cash driven, the taxi owners can easily hide their profits.
taxi owners do not pay tax snd that is a fact.
Only way to stop all the BS is voter education.
Where do you get your fact from that “Taxi Owners do not pay tax”