Makana ward councillors were dissatisfied with the monthly ward committee report tabled for consideration at a recent Ordinary Council Meeting.Councillors agreed that the report wasn’t a true reflection of what’s actually going on in the wards.
Makana ward councillors were dissatisfied with the monthly ward committee report tabled for consideration at a recent Ordinary Council Meeting.Councillors agreed that the report wasn’t a true reflection of what’s actually going on in the wards.
“It’s good that we can see the wards reflected in the Council agenda, but I am not happy with the manner in which these reports are captured,” said Ward 3 councillor Zamuxolo Peter.
“We are being misrepresented here and I believe the Speaker’s office must really start looking at maybe developing a template” which he says will make it easier for the different departments to solve problems within each ward.
All ward committees established by the Office of the Speaker are required to hold regular meetings, take down minutes of issues and submit them to the office of the Speaker.
The monthly reports have the purpose of reflecting on such activities. Ward 4 councillor Melikhaya Pongolo agreed with Peter’s proposal while Ward 10 councillor Xolani Simakuhle spoke about the irregularities in establishing ward committees.
Simakuhle said he has raised this matter before, but it was merely noted by the Council Speaker Rachel Madinda as a comment.
“The status of Ward 10 is still under discussion,” he said, reading the report for his ward. Two months ago Grocott’s Mail reported that Ward 10 committee members who were elected in November last year, have still not been paid.
According to Simakuhle, this was because the committee was not recognised by Madinda who was absent at the election of the ward committee.
“We came up with a three day clean up programme for Madiba Day, I am bragging about that and I’m proud,” he said, adding that their work isn’t noted in the agenda.
“We don’t know where the other reports [are]because most of the reports are biased to a particular ward,” he added. “What is done here is unfair.
There are members of the ward communities who are receiving stipends who are doing nothing in their area. I have 10 people in my ward who are working but don’t get paid,” said Simakuhle.
