The ANC welcomes the invitation from Grocotts Mail to give input on a number of major developments in recent months.
The ANC welcomes the invitation from Grocotts Mail to give input on a number of major developments in recent months.
It is normal in a democracy for opposition elements to voice their concerns, but at times these are highly exaggerated and sensationalised for political gain. We wish to provide information which allows residents to be fully informed on how government is meeting its obligations.
What is often referred to as ‘the water crisis’ is part of a long-term restructuring programme. Government is extending full services of water, sewerage and electricity to the entire population, overcoming the legacy of apartheid which left out 80% of our residents. This enormous task is one that is costly and cannot be achieved in a short space of time.
Since the low point of water delivery in 2013, the Municipality has secured R342 million in assistance from other spheres of government. We are supported by the Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Commission, Department of Water and Sanitation, East Cape Development Corporation and the technical expertise of Amatola Water Board to ensure that what needs to be done is indeed being done.
The work is underway, but not yet finished. Interruptions still occur, at times due to necessary work, and at other times due to system breakdowns. Our focus now is on ensuring optimal communication to residents about any irregular service as the construction continues.
The most recent outages of water have been clearly identified as due to sabotage, and investigations are under way. We expect our residents to feel outrage at such malicious activities. We wonder just who it is that wants to portray local government as failing and why they care so little about the welfare of the people?
There has also been much in the news about the financial crisis at Makana. The Council has called for a detailed investigation into the root causes of our serious cash-flow problem. This is being addressed with the assistance from the Province, and is still under way.
Council is already aware of several contributing factors, which are in the public domain. These include an error in budgeting in the last financial year, where more income was planned for than could reasonably be expected.
Second, roll-overs of external funds necessary to complete major capital projects that were under way were not secured, leaving Council with huge unexpected debts.
Third, our own residents owe the Council R190 million for services which they have consumed but not paid for. This makes it impossible to recover from the other set-backs, let alone extend services.
Fourth, over the years, municipal reserves have been gradually spent on major infrastructure projects. There are widespread rumours that the depleted financial state of the municipality is due to corruption. The reasons given above do not support this view. No-one is pocketing money. The former Municipal Manager, Pravine Naidoo, was never paid the R3 million he wanted and Council has ruled that he should pay back the R108,000 he received towards legal fees. One other case of an employee accused of accepting bribes is still pending.
These are the only cases of attempted personal gain brought to our attention. If members of the public have information about any other corruption within the Municipality, they should put their allegations in writing immediately. The decision to place the Municipality under Section 139(1)b was a unanimous one, agreed to at all levels of government, including Makana.
It provides assistance in tightening up administrative systems, with extra personnel coming from the Province. Our new Administrator, Pam Yako, has a track record of producing unqualified audits in the government departments where she has worked and she successfully resolved allegations of misconduct through Bargaining Council arbitration. We have every confidence in her.
The Council has referred the Kabuso Report, which has been much talked about in the press, to the new Administrator to subject it to a thorough and objective review. Those people who claim to have already formed on opinion on the report are using it for political gain and have not subjected it to the level of scrutiny and interrogation required by government. Processes are under way but will not be hasty.
As the ANC, we invite all residents of Makana to ask themselves how they can work as genuinely concerned active citizens, contributing to solutions. Assistance in detecting any form of corruption or sabotage is highly welcomed.
Let us create a culture where non-payment for services and other acts of undermining the welfare of our communities, such as sabotage and illegal dumping, no longer cripple us.
Together we move Makana forward. J
ulie Wells Makana Chief Whip
