Citizen participation is crucial to a successful turnaround plan for Makana Municipality. Makana Administrator Pam Yako presented her intervention plan to a strong contingent of political and institutional heavyweights Friday 5 December.
Citizen participation is crucial to a successful turnaround plan for Makana Municipality. Makana Administrator Pam Yako presented her intervention plan to a strong contingent of political and institutional heavyweights Friday 5 December.
While the Service Delivery Summit in Ext 6 was relatively light on ordinary citizens, members of various civic organisations put their weight behind the plan.
These included Deputy Minister of Co-operative Governance Obed Bapela, Rhodes University Vice Chancellor Dr Sizwe Mabizela, Acting Superintendent General of Local Government and Traditional Affairs Ngwadi Mzamo, Bishop of Grahamstown Ebenezer Ntlali and Sara Baartman Municipal Manager Ted Pillay.
Yako emphasised the plan could not work without the support of members of the community.
"I am excited about the level of enthusiasm I have been shown by various stakeholders. We should partner in restoring the image of Makana," Yako said. "The vision of the municipality is fascinating because it says 'Makana…a great place to be'," she said.
"I feel excited about today. The turnout was good and the support was overwhelming," Yako told Grocott's Mail afterwards.
"We had the deputy minister from National Government to give a message of support, we had people from the district municipality. We even had councillors and ward committee members.
"There couldn't have been a better outcome than this. I suppose the work now is how we move forward and make things to happen," Yako said. Bapela said he was satisfied that something was being done about the Kabuso report.
"Indeed, those people who are mentioned in that report must give their side of the story," Bapela said.
"This is a serious issue." In pledging his support on behalf of Rhodes University, Mabizela said they were aware of the challenges faced by the municipality.
"We think the state that we are in now requires quite a level of maturity… from politicians to ordinary residents," Mabizela said.
"This is not an opportunity to point fingers. It is not an opportunity to throw stones, but an opportunity to build." Bishop Ntlali said it was important for communities to support the work to fix the municipality.
"We need to think about how do we become responsible citizens," he said. "Human beings are God's stewards on earth…we are carriers of God's breath and we need to communicate and work with each other in respect." Ntlali said people should also respect the infrastructure that has been put in place in the town.
"Vandalism of new water pipes is not a right thing, we are hurting ourselves if we do that…we hear that over R200 million of infrastructure is planned. On the other hand we destroy it…then when we have no water we toy-toy.
We need to take care of this infrastructure," he said. Yako has three months left to make sure the intervention plan to fix Makana is fully implemented.
