To see how hard working Ward Councillors go about their jobs, see Ward 9 councillor, Heinrich Muller’s newsletter below.
You may contact Ward 9 using the contact form at the bottom of this report.
LIBRARY UPDATE
We received the following update on the library issue from PR Cllr Andrew Whitfield:
“… I have been reliably informed that the dispute that saw all libraries in the Metro closed in July has been revived once again due to the Municipality’s failure to deliver on their commitment to library staff.
In July the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality agreed, after an extended period of library closures, to re-grade the positions of library staff. This re-grading was, however, not reflected on their pay slips in August and the staff decided to strike again. This situation cannot continue.
Libraries are a provincial competency and this situation must be taken seriously by Bisho. It is simply unacceptable that while the ANC controls both local and provincial government they cannot seem to sit around a table and find solutions to ensure our libraries are open to our children.
Closing the doors of our libraries closes the doors to opportunities for our children. This situation would not be tolerated in a DA led government as we believe that children are the foundation of our future and that opportunity should be expanded, not contracted. Where the DA governs libraries are well resourced, well staffed and kept open to the public six days a week.
Return of Library Books:
While the management of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality is working on resolving a labour dispute that led to the temporary closure of all municipal libraries, the public can still renew their books by e-mailing bookrenewals@mandelametro.gov.za.
The information required to effect a renewal is: – borrower’s name – card number- number of books to be renewed
No fines will be imposed during this period. Traffic Centres in Uitenhage and Port Elizabeth are also temporarily closed at this stage. The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality’s Council will sit tomorrow to discuss recommendations regarding the resolution that led to the closure of traffic offices and libraries…”
KRAGGA KAMMA TRANSFER SITE
I had a meeting with the relevant official during the month and she gave the following feedback w.r.t. the Kragga Kamma Transfer site and furthermore, I received the following feedback via e-mail:
“…The technical evaluation of the tender by the consultants is finished, it will be going to the next evaluation committee meeting. Currently, we no longer having bags dumped in front of the site, the challenge that we have is the breaking of the palisade panels. The challenge of having supply chain offices closed often in the past 3 months is also dragging the process, but we are getting closer…”
Unfortunately the Adjudication meetings who must sign off on the abovementioned evaluation has not been taking place and are being postponed the whole time, thus dragging out the process.
I want to thank all residents for their patience in this regard. I will provide more feedback as soon as I receive same.
2014 ELECTIONS
Kindly make use of the IEC sms system to check whether you are registered for the 2014 elections by sending your ID number to 32810 or check on their website: www.elections.org.za.
A registration weekend for the different wards throughout the Metro has been scheduled for the weekend of 9 – 10 November 2013 for the residents who have not registered yet to vote and those who have moved since the previous election.
Anybody interested and able to help us for an hour or two on either or both of these days, please contact my office for further information. Our voting stations will be at Sunridge Primary School, Westering Primary School, Verkenner Primary School and Londt Park Sports Club.
REFUSE BAGS
Residents, please remember that it is an offence to put out refuse bags prior to the day of collections, thus ensure that you place your refuse bags on the same morning of collection.
We have also been informed that refuse bags were distributed to the different areas in our wards on the following dates:
- 13 August 2013 – Framesby Gardens, Framesby, Sunridge Park, Fernglen
- 23 August 2013 – Westering, Taybank, Linton Grange
Should you not have received refuse bags, please liaise with my office.
NEWS FROM THE DA
DA lays criminal charges against Nelson Mandela Bay Mayor and Deputy Mayor
The DA laid criminal charges in terms of Section 173 and 174 of the Municipal Finance Management Act on 8 August 2013 against the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro. Herewith the media statement from Cllr Leon de Villiers, DA Leader of the Official Opposition in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro:
“…The Democratic Alliance in Nelson Mandela Bay today laid criminal charges against the Executive Mayor, Cllr Benson Fihla, and his Deputy, Cllr Chippa Ngcolomba, for political interference in the administration of the municipality. The unstable state of the Metro is highlighted by the fact that we have had six municipal managers and acting municipal mangers over the past four years.
Barely two months into the job, the resignation last Wednesday (subs: 31 July) of City Manager, Dr Lindiwe Msengana-Ndlela, is a direct result of political interference and this is referenced in a letter she has written to Local Government MEC Mlibo Qoboshiyane and in the MEC’s public response. The MEC was quoted in The Herald of 1 August that “…she has demonstrated that it was because of undue pressures and inappropriate interference in the administration”.
The DA afforded the MEC the opportunity to exercise his legislated responsibility and right to take decisive action by laying criminal charges against the Mayor and his Deputy for their actions in accordance of Section 173 of the Municipal Finance Management Act.
Section 173 of the Municipal Finance Management Act clearly states that a councillor is guilty of an offence if a councillor “deliberately influences or attempts to influence the accounting officer, the chief financial officer, a senior manager or any other official of the municipality to contravene a provision of this Act”. Section 174 further provides for penalties including imprisonment for a period not exceeding five years or an appropriate fine determined in terms of applicable legislation.
The political interference in Nelson Mandela Bay manifests itself in a culture of entitlement and disrespect for the rule of law and democracy. The ANC’s cancerous, closed, crony culture of corruption and cadre deployment is destroying the potential of our administration to deliver services to all the people of our Metro. A DA led Metro will never tolerate political interference by public representatives.
Through their actions, and inaction, the ANC has proved that its allegiance is to a politically connected few and not to the people of Nelson Mandela Bay or the rule of law.
The DA’s track record of clean governance and service delivery supported by our vision of an open, opportunity society for all is the only hope for Nelson Mandela Bay…”
DA will not entertain ANC bully tactics
Cllr Leon de Villiers, DA Leader of the Official Opposition in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, issued the following media statement on 3 September 2013:
“…The DA in Nelson Mandela Bay will not be bullied into taking illegal decisions by the ANC or its affiliates.
Today, municipal staff attempted to hold Council hostage to their demands at a Special Council meeting that was to be convened today to deal with, among other items, the election of ward committees and the salary increases for library and traffic staff.
These critical items require robust debate in Council, however due to the threat of yet another invasion of Council by union members and the inevitable financial implications of passing some items; the meeting was postponed by the chief Whip of Council.
The DA is vehemently opposed to the manner in which the ANC is attempting to steam roll irregular items such as the one on Ward Committees. We have declared our intent to go to court should they proceed with their intentions and we will continue to expose the ANC for its breach of the rules of Council and the rule of law.
The salary increases for traffic wardens and library staff have not been evaluated in line with the TASK job evaluation tool that seeks to normalize pay grades throughout the institution. The DA has been calling for the implementation of the TASK system for years and notes with concern that Nelson Mandela Bay is the only Metro in the country that is not using this system. Should the positions not be graded using the TASK system and the employees given their increases, this will set a precedent and see a flood of increased wage demands and a wave of labour unrest from other municipal staff. Our position is clear: implement the Task System so we can budget accordingly and pay our staff what they deserve.
There are factions within the ANC that have no interest in strengthening democracy and upholding the law. They use disgruntled workers to place pressure on Council to make decisions that will have dire financial implications for our Municipality and set a dangerous precedent for our democracy
The DA has formed a task team to investigate all illegal decisions taken by Council and we will submit a report to the Minister of Finances Task Team in the Metro. We call on the Minister to take further steps to ensure financial stability and for him to include the DA in their work. The issues raised by the Minister are the very same issues we have raised time and again and we will be able to provide unbiased insight and expertise to assist the team.
The DA stands ready to govern so that we can restore service delivery, financial stability, economic growth and job creation in Nelson Mandela Bay…”
NEWS FROM THE METRO
Metro Council appoints Mbambisa as Acting City Manager
“…The Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Council today appointed former Chris Hani District Municipal Manager, Mpilo Sakile Mbambisa, as the Acting Municipal Manager for a maximum period of three months with effect from 6 August 2013. Mbambisa currently serves as the Deputy Director-General in the Eastern Cape Provincial Department of Local Government and Traditional Affairs and has been seconded to the NMBM in terms of Section 154 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa.
The Council resolution was taken following the resignation of former City Manager, Dr Lindiwe Msengana-Ndlela, which (the resignation) was duly accepted by Council.
Executive Mayor Benson “Oom Ben” Fihla said that he welcomed the Council’s decision and looked forward to working closely with Mr Mbambisa in carrying out the developmental agenda of Council. “We are happy that we have acquired the skills of a person who has a track-record in developmental local governance, and the Mayoral Committee and I look forward to working closely with Mr Mbambisa and the management team in ensuring effective and efficient service delivery to and for all our residents.”
“Indeed, Nelson Mandela Bay is a growing city with growing needs and the institution requires a strong team, both politically and administratively, to deliver services to our people, to build and develop infrastructure especially in our poorer areas, and to invite and encourage trade and investment.”
“We welcome Mr Mbambisa to our team and to the city…”
Municipal laboratory and city’s water supply get clean bill of health
The following statement was made by Mr Kupido Baron:
“…The work of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality’s Scientific Services laboratory received a clean bill of health from independent consultants as it “functions in a highly professional manner to such an extent that the drinking water quality of the municipality is in no way compromised”.
SRK Consulting was recently appointed to coordinate the collection of independent water samples throughout Nelson Mandela Bay and the samples for bacteriological analysis were sent to Talbot and Talbot Laboratories in Port Elizabeth and chemical analysis was done by Rand Water laboratories in Vereeniging. Tests were done by the independent laboratories as well as the municipality’s Scientific Services laboratory.
Chemical water quality refers to the nature and concentration of dissolved substances such as salts, metals and organic chemicals. South African National Standards (SANS) 241 requires a minimum of 85% compliance.
Microbiological water quality is the state of the water with respect to the absence (good water quality) or presence (poor water quality) of micro-organisms. SANS 241 requires 97% compliance.
Both the microbiological and the chemical results were found to comply with the National Standards for drinking water quality.
Infrastructure, Engineering, Electricity and Energy Standing Committee Chairperson, Cllr Andile Mfunda said he was extremely happy with the result that was tabled at a sitting of his committee today.
“Let us appreciate the hard work by our people in the laboratory. Pass our heartfelt thank you to them as their work is very important to ensure the safety of the city’s water supply,” he added.
The report by SRK Consulting states that “it is concluded that the NMBM results represent good quality samples” and “it is therefore concluded that the NMBM Scientific Services Laboratory can reproduce results at a satisfactory level”.
Adv Bernard Hutton, Director for Support Services, said the report exonerates the municipality’s laboratory and shows that the methods used are better than the norm.
“It essentially states that we are one of the better laboratories in the country,” he added…”
COMMUNITY WATCHES NEED YOUR HELP
Please support the Fernglen and Sunridge Park Community Watches if you are able.
THANK YOU
I cannot thank the residents in Ward 9 enough for being my eyes and ears in the Ward by reporting problems/queries to my office.
I also want to thank the residents who give feedback when their complaints/queries have indeed been settled so that I can close my file. The Metro do not always inform my office when a problem has been rectified.
Ward Report Back
You may use this form to contact these hard working Councillors: Ward 1, Ward 2, Ward 5, Ward 6 and Ward 9.
Why only these? Because these councillors regularly report back to their constituents via MyPE.
Ward 9
Latest posts by Ward 9 (see all)
- Ward 9 Water Shutdown - 20 August 2018
- Ward 9 Water Outage - 30 November 2017
- Thursday Water Shutdown in Westering (Western Hills & Taybank) - 19 July 2017
- Ward 9 Newsletter – June 2017 - 21 June 2017
- Public Meeting for Wards 9, 39 and Portion of 12 - 16 September 2016
