Three departments that presented their reports at the Makana Municipality annual Integrated Development Programme (IDP) forum came in for a griling on Friday.
Three departments that presented their reports at the Makana Municipality annual Integrated Development Programme (IDP) forum came in for a griling on Friday.
The forum – which reported back on an IDP review process and service delivery budget implementation plan for the 2009/2010 fiscal year – was poorly attended by only around 20 people.
Several key issues were raised, including the lack of fire department services in Alicedale, which falls under the Makana municipal area. This was put forward by Zamuxolo Peter, Ward 3 councillor, which is the ward Alicedale falls under.
According to a fire department representative the reason for this is because there is no building in which to house the fire-fighting equipment. Makana Mayor Vumile Lwana was quick to respond by saying this is no excuse to deny the people of Alicedale an essential service.
"It’s a very serious matter that we do not have fire services there," he said. "The district has given us the equipment to provide that service almost two years ago, clearly there is something very wrong."
Peter also expressed his concern for the housing backlog in Grahamstown, which is roughly 12 000 homes according to a report by municipal manager Ntombi Baart.
This follows the recent completion of the Eluxolweni housing project of only 170 homes which took several years to complete.
The IDP progress report was followed by presentations from various departments. Unfortunately only three made presentations regarding their budgeting strategies for the 2009/10 financial year.
These were the departments of agriculture, health and arts and culture, all of which appeared to be badly prepared for the meeting and often avoided answering key questions.
The agriculture department is currently focusing on providing food security for Grahamstown residents, but explained that a drought in the region has retarded and complicated their progress.
When questioned by Kevin Bates of Makana’s Park and Recreation department about infrastructure for Grahamstown’s municipal commonages, the representative replied that, due to the lack of a management plan, infighting among stock holders and a surplus of stock on the land, there was little they could do to help at this stage.
Bates explained later that "we need the department of agriculture to help us to talk to the stock owners on the commonages. But I’m not totally negative about it, we just really need the support."
The health department received some criticism from councillor Peter after reporting that the department had "secured land" for the building of a 24 hour clinic in Joza.
According to Peter, this has been the case for some time now, and a more recent update is required. Several members of the forum agreed with this, but when questioned on it, the representative for the department responded that "backlogs" were to blame.
Lastly, the arts and culture department was poorly prepared, and admitted that they had not known of the meeting until a few minutes before it started.
The two representatives explained that they had recently received over R2.3-million as part of the "living legacy" sport plan, which is to create sustainable sporting interest, equipment and facilities after the 2010 Soccer World Cup.
It was also reported that a learn to swim initiative is currently under way, and should start in October with the help of Kingswood College and the use of the school’s facilities.
The department received criticism from the Society of the Physically Disabled for excluding the society in recent projects, as well as complaints regarding the lack of a library in Riebeeck East.
When Baart explained that the district has no funding for this kind of endeavour, both Lwana and councillor Michael Whisson were quick to respond that the district indeed does have money.
"They have R4-million they have not been able to use, so they can’t claim that they don’t have money," Whisson said.
