A few residents have approached me over the last couple of days to explain to them the DA’s position on the Ward Committee debacle.
The recent Ward Committee Nomination and Election Proceedings have been wholly flawed from the start. Political interference, illegal procedures and blatant discrimination led to the DA requesting Acting Municipal Manager, Mr Elias Ntoba, to intervene in order to stop the process. Unfortunately he refused to do so and this has led to the DA boycotting the ward committee nomination and election proceedings and our subsequent instructions to our attorneys to proceed to apply for appropriate relief in court in order to stop this illegal process.
The DA has on numerous occasions called upon Eastern Cape MEC for Local Government and Traditional Affairs, Mr Qoboshiyane to intervene in the process so that we do not have to proceed with legal action which will no doubt lead to unnecessary legal costs being incurred against the NMBM.
We confirm our basis for objecting to the process herein:
- The Regulations adopted by Council in terms of Section 73 of the Municipal Structures Act on 25th January 2001 still regulates the procedures to be followed in the establishment of Ward Committees within the NMBM. Further rules and guidelines were formulated by the Ward Election Team, which team was constituted by means of the said regulations adopted as aforesaid, but to date very few of these guidelines have been followed and adhered to.
- The ward committee election and nomination process was set out in a municipal advert that appeared in a local publication on the 28th of September 2011. The process that was stipulated in this advert was vastly different from the processes that are currently being followed.
- Nominations in terms of the original process would have been done by means of completing nomination forms at the relevant Ward Offices. To date no nomination forms have been delivered to the various ward offices and the process of nomination is currently being done by having public meetings at obscure venues and in some instances with less than 24 hours notification. The original advert has also never been retracted and replaced with one explaining the new process that was to be followed.
- Insufficient public participation with regards to the process followed has also resulted in a wholly flawed process that shows no regard to the law and communities of the NMBM.
Hou die pers dop en kyk hoe hierdie fiasko eindig. Ons sien die Metro spoedig in die hof…
Geniet die Lente, Somer is om die draai!
Retief & Anna-Marie
Kabuso Report
It is no secret that the Kabuso report played a significant role in the political demise of former mayor Nondumiso Mpazi. Ironically, it now seems as if history might just repeat itself as the current mayor is slowly but surely committing political suicide by refusing to release the now infamous forensic report.
When mayor Xanoxolo Wayile assumed office he vowed to root out corruption and maladministration in our ailing institution. Today, some two years later, the mayor appears to be doing everything in his ability to protect the individuals implicated in the Kabuso Report, the very individuals responsible for the demise of Mpazi.
The report came into being when Mpazi requested the MEC for local government and traditional affairs to investigate maladministration and fraud in our municipality in terms of Section 106 of the Systems Act. The findings of this investigation were given to the MEC, who in turn handed it to the Wayile in order for him to take appropriate action.
The mayor has since decided against releasing the report to council, opting rather to provide council with a scant summation contained in a few water downed pages of what he no doubt thought was important – or even worse, what he thought council should be allowed to see. Those in the know and who have had sight of the document are utterly dumbstruck by the fact that certain key issues and facts of the original report was simply ignored or left out in this ‘synopsis’.
Kabuso has implicated a number of individuals, both officials and high ranking politicians, in fraudulent activities which would necessitate criminal charges being brought against them. Apart from the moral obligation placed upon the mayor to institution appropriate action when he becomes aware of fraudulent activities, one can’t help but wonder whether he is now also above the law since he seems hell-bent on ignoring a number of unambiguous legislative requirements imposed on him in respect of these fraudulent activities.
One is therefore left to assume that the umbilical cord between City Hall and Standard House is one that appears very hard to sever. I can, however, hardly belief that an individual of the mayor’s calibre would voluntary commit political suicide to protect a few corrupt individuals who have looted the public purse.
Quo Vadis, Mr Mayor? Surely it is high time that we allow justice to run its course. Why protect those who have selfishly lined their own pockets at the expense of the poorest of the poor who look to you to deliver their promised better life? Release the Kabuso report forthwith, restore credibility to your office and afford those incriminated their democratic right to present their case to court.
Alternatively, instruct the municipal manager to respond to the DA’s recent application in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act by furnishing us with a full copy of the report so that we can proceed to lay the necessary criminal charges.
Retief Odendaal
Letter published in the Herald of 6 October 2011 – Read about the release of the Kabuso Report here: Kabuso Report – Full Marks to The Herald
Nuwe SASSA Kantoor Oop
Na ‘n veldtog van meer as ‘n jaar om SASSA te oorreed om ‘n Sateliet Kantoor in die Westelike Voorstede van Port Elizabeth te open, het hulle uiteindelik daartoe ingestem.
Vanaf Dinsdag, 30 Augustus 2011, sal SASSA amptenare beskikbaar wees by die Storehouse/New Covenant Kerk, geleë op die hoek van Vitry Laan en Moselle Straat, Lorraine.SASSA amptenare sal inwoners behulpsaam wees met hulle aansoeke vir pensioen, ongeskiktheidstoelae, kindertoelae, ens.
Die SASSA Sateliet Kantoor sal vanaf 09H00 tot 13H00 oop wees vir dienslewering.
Die diens sal een keer per week, op Dinsdae, gelewer word. Indien die SASSA Sateliet Kantoor goed ondersteun word, kan dienslewering uitgebrei word.
Ons bedank DA Raadslid Gustav Rautenbach vir sy volharding om hierdie projek ‘n werklikheid te maak
Service Delivery JOC (Joint Operations Centre)
The metro Service Delivery JOC has continues to be a tremendous help in improving turnaround times on a host of day-to-day complaints reported. A special vote of thanks should go to the JOC staff and to Brigadier John Best, assisted by Lee-anne Meiring.
Each and every complaint is given a unique tracking number on a dedicated system, with feedback going back to the office of the Municipal Manager daily.
Anyone wishing to report any municipal complaints can do so by making use the toll free number 0800 20 5050.
Nuwe Pad Dalk Nutteloos oor te min Geld
‘n Nuwe pad wat tans in aanbou is en wat die William Moffat met Glenhurdlaan sou verbind gaan heelwaarskynlik in onbruik verval.
Hierdie pad, ‘n verlenging van Restitutionlaan in Fairview, word deur PELRHA (Port Elizabeth Land Restitution and Housing Association) gefinanisier. Die projek van net duskant R30 miljoen loop ongelukkig nou die gevaar om in ‘n wit olifant te ontaard aangesien die Metro nie oor die nodige Fondse beskik om die verbinding tussen die nuutgeboude pad wat onder die William Moffat—brug sou stop en Glenhurdlaan te bou nie.
Hierdie ontwikkeling is broodnodig omdat die William Moffat-opgradering juis weer onlangs vir ‘n paar jaar uitgestel is. Sou hierdie nuwe pad in werking in gebruik geneem word, sal dit verkeersvloei verbeter en baie onnodige verkeer uit Walmer Downs en Mangoldpark hou.
Sensus 2011 – los die agterdog
Sensus 2011 het verlede week amptelik begin. Ongeveer 159 000 sensus-opnemers, koördineerders en toesighouers het oral die land ingereis om Suid-Afrika se hele bevolking voor die einde van die maand te tel.
Tydens ‘n feitesessie op Donderdag het Pali Lehohla, die Statistikus-Generaal, gesê die derde sensus in ‘n demokratiese Suid-Afrika het stadig maar goed begin. Dit is goeie nuus. Die sensus is baie belangrik, en almal in Suid-Afrika moet daaraan deelneem. Dit is veel meer as ‘n blote koppetellery. Beskou dit as ‘n “mediese ondersoek” van ons nasie. Dit meet ons gesamentlike gesondheid en welsyn, en hoe ons op sosio-ekonomiese gebied gevorder het.
Wanneer burgers hul vraelyste akkuraat invul, verskaf hulle belangrike inligting wat al drie die regeringsfere kan inspan om te beplan en besluite vir hul gemeenskappe, stede, provinsies en die hele land te kan neem.
Die regering gebruik sensusbevindings om te bepaal watter gebiede dienste en nuwe infrastruktuur soos skole, paaie, wateraanlegte, openbare vervoer, klinieke, hospitale en huise nodig het.
Die statistieke bepaal ook hoe die nasionale regering se geld onder provinsies en munisipaliteite verdeel word. Dit bepaal ook die stemdistrikte op die plaaslike en nasionale vlak.
As burgers met ander woorde weier om die vraelyste in te vul, gaan die munisipaliteit of provinsie waarin hulle woon, minder geld kry. Dit kan ook veroorsaak dat noodsaaklike dienslewering in gedrang gebring word in hul gebiede.
In hierdie nuusbrief bespreek ek dus die drie vrae wat mense vandeesweek die meeste geopper het, naamlik:
- Moet ek die vraag oor rasseklassifikasie beantwoord?
- Hoe kan ek seker maak dat die persoon by my deur as ‘n sensusopnemer by Statistieke SA geregistreer is?
- Sal die inligting wat ek aan die sensusopnemer verstrek vertroulik bly/waarom moet ek my naam en adres verstrek?
Ras
Talle mense het gekla omdat hulle hul “ras” moet aandui.
Statistieke SA regverdig dié vraag op grond daarvan dat bevolkingsgroepe verskil in dinamiek toon. Hul gesondheidprofiel verskil byvoorbeeld, en so ook hul vrugbaarheid- en sterftekoerse. Demograwe en aktuarisse benut die vraag oor “ras” dus om akkurate bevolkings-vooruitskattings te maak. Dit is ook nodig om maatskaplike probleme te diagnoseer. Statistieke SA het my die versekering gegee dat dié en ander demografiese vrae net vir statistiese doeleindes gebruik word. Die ANC-regering sal hierdie statistiek egter sonder twyfel inspan om sy beleid van “verteenwoordiging” toe te pas. Die verhouding van bevolkingsgroepe t.o.v mekaar gaan ongetwyfeld in die regering se planne vir regstellende aksie gebruik word.
Natuurlik kan niemand gedwing word om hul rasse-klassifikasie te verstrek nie. Ek het die kans benut om lekker saam met my sensusopnemer te lag. Toe sy vra wat my “ras” is, het ek haar potlood geleen en in my hare gesteek. Dit het bly steek (my kapsel word met haarsproei op sy plek gehou). My sensusopnemer, wat beslis ‘n goeie humorsin het, vra my toe hoe ons die “potloodtoets” op Leeuwenhof se spoke gaan uitvoer! Sy het toe maar self my “ras” korrek ingevul.
Misdaad
Nog ‘n kwelling is die gevaar dat misdadigers hulle as sensusopnemers voordoen. Dié vrees het ‘n dag ná die aanvang van die sensus selfs nuwe hoogtes bereik, en selfs op paranoia gegrens, toe twee inbrekers wat hulle as sensuswerkers voorgedoen het, twee mans in Johannesburg geskiet het.
Jy kan stappe doen as iemand by jou voorhek opdaag en sê hy of sy is ‘n sensusopnemer.
Eerstens kan jy opnemers identifiseer deur seker te maak hulle dra ‘n geel bib met die kentekens van die Sensus en Statistieke SA. Hulle dra ook ‘n geel tas met dieselfde kentekens,en sensus-vraelyste – dit ‘n A3-boek met ‘n kaart van die gebied op die eerste bladsy. Die belangrikste item is ‘n ID-kaart met ‘n foto en ‘n identifikasienommer in die gedaante van ‘n hologram sodat die kaarte nie vervals kan word nie.
Mense kan ook die tolvrye nommers 0800 110 248 of 080 236 7872 skakel om te bevestig of iemand ‘n geregistreerde opnemer is. Enigiemand met ‘n klagte oor ‘n opnemer kan dieselfde nommers skakel.
Die belangrike punt is dat almal gewone gesonde verstand moet gebruik om te bepaal of persone by die hek is wie hulle sê hulle is, voordat hulle binnegelaat word.
Tot dusver was die enigste “sensus”-misdade wat in die Wes-Kaap aangemeld is, ironies genoeg teenoor opnemers gepleeg deur die mense wat hulle getel het.
Persoonlike Besonderhede
Talle Twieters het ook gevra waarom hul naam en adres op die voorblad van die vraelys neergeskryf word, en of dié inligting aan ander organisasies beskikbaar gestel sal word.
In die eerste plek vereis die Statistiekwet dat elke werknemer van Statistieke SA ‘n vertroulikheis-eed onderteken. Dit beteken hulle is wetlik verplig om nooit inligting wat aan hulle verstrek word, te onthul nie. Daar is ook swaar strawwe as ‘n werknemer dié eed skend – ‘n boete van tot R10 000 en/of gevangenisstraf van tot ses maande.
Die Wet bepaal ook dat geen ongemagtigde persoon of organisasie, met inbegrip van enige ander staatsdepartement, toegang tot enige inligting wat tydens die Sensus vergaar word, mag kry nie.
Tweedens word die name en adresse net tydens die gehalteversekeringsproses gebruik. Dan word dit van die vraelys verwyder en vernietig. Enige inligting wat bekend word wanneer die uitslae van die Sensus geopenbaar word, kan nooit na ‘n bepaalde individu of huishouding verwys word nie.
Om ons land optebou, moet ons ewe veel ag op ons verantwoordelikhede as ons regte slaan. Word dus voor 31 Oktober getel.
Ward 6 Snippets
- The Ward 6 Office has relocated to Unit 12, Walmer Downs Family Centre. Phone numbers will remain the same.
- Charlo CPF-Meeting on 7 November 2011 at 18:00, Moffat-on-Main Boardroom
- Newton Park CPF-Meeting on 1 November 2011 at 18:30, Elizabeth’s Place, Newton Park
- Ericsson is currently digging trenches in and around Ward 6 in order to install new telecommunications infrastructure. Any complaints or queries with regards to these trenches can be directed to my offices or to martin.oosthuizen@ericsson.com
- WARD 6 DA AGM at my office on 16 November 2011 at 18:30, Unit 12, Walmer Downs Family Centre.
- Faulty lampposts can be reported to my office by merely supplying the lamppost number.
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