Makana Municipality officials have three days to move as many as 500 people from a safe zone outside Grahamstown to the Extension 6 Indoor Multipurpose Centre.
Makana Municipality officials have three days to move as many as 500 people from a safe zone outside Grahamstown to the Extension 6 Indoor Multipurpose Centre.
This was one of the matters discussed in a special Council meeting on Friday 6 November, of which the looting of shops on 21 and 22 October and the displacement of their mostly immigrant owners and their families formed a significant part.
However, introducing the meeting, Council Speaker Yandisa Vara was emphatic that even in the midst of the displacement crisis, Council business must go on.
The agenda also included the swearing in of PR councillor Nolunetha Makhathaza, the appointment of Ward 7 councillor Malibongwe Khubalo as the new chairperson of the Tourism and Cultural Industries portfolio committee; discussion of a R10 million Chinese-manufactured sewage treatment plant proposed for the town and the restructuring of Makana’s debt to the Development Bank of SA.
What came across clearly in the meeting was that the Mayor, Nomhle Gaga, is strongly asserting her role in leading the action plan to resolve the looting and displacement crisis.
Hinting that various parties had confused matters and delayed solutions by taking different directions, Gaga said, “This thing is under control and as Makana’s Mayor, I wish that only the Mayor should speak on this.
“This is not an internal Makana issue: this is an international issue,” Gaga said, suggesting that particularly when groups and individuals from outside Makana were called on to assist, it should be clear to them who the leadership was.
She said while the joint operations committee, led by SAPS, was not open to everyone, the municipality was holding regular stakeholder meetings which concerned individuals and NGOs should attend to have their questions answered and to put their concerns on the agenda.
Gaga said only two organisations were legally entitled to collect money on behalf of the displaced shopkeepers: the Red Cross, and the Department of Social Development.
“There mustn’t be donations and no one knows where that money or food is going to,” Gaga said.
Sensitive
Vara then said, “All community meetings on this issue should be co-ordinated through the office of the Speaker. Councillors must be apprised of developments, because if they are asked questions by residents, they must be able to respond, and provide leadership.
Vara also said councillors must deal with the matter sensitively.
“What you say as a councillor has an impact, whether negative or positive,” Vara said.
Of the stakeholder meetings held, Vara said, “The stakeholders responded. Their participation was meaningful and the meetings fruitful.
Gaga also clarified the extent of Makana Municipality’s role in resolving the displacement crisis.
“We are only involved as a municipality with those families directly affected,” she said.
In a move to audit the needs and requirements of those affected, the displaced residents who needed assistance were asked to present themselves at Fiddlers Green on Thursday 5 November, where Home Affairs officials recorded names and other details.
Fiddlers Green had been identified as the site for a camp for the group, after the owner of the safe zone where they are presently housed said Friday 6 November was the last day he could do so for free.
An initial cost of R30 000 a day was brought down to R10 000 through negotiations, which Makana Municipality will pay for Saturday 7 November through Monday 9 November.
Reintegration
Meiring said the intention was to recoup this from the district municipality.
Reintegration was essential, she said.
“In Durban during the xenophobic violence, they had to house families for three months: we do not have that money,” Meiring said.
On Tuesday 10 November, the families will be moved to the Indoor Multipurpose Centre in Extension 6.
In the discussions, allegations that some municipal employees participated in the looting were discussed.
“It has been brought to our attention that municipal officials in uniform were part of the looting process, using municipal vehicles to transport what they looted,” Meiring said.
“We will establish a special committee to investigate this, because it raises huge questions marks.”
How the displaced families crisis is being dealt with:
Food
From 21 October, businesspeople among the stakeholders group have provided food, along with Sassa, and Social Development, the Mayor said. In addition, a representative of the Red Cross in Grahamstown earlier this week told Grocott’s Mail they had spent R22 000 on food parcels, blankets and personal hygiene packs.
Safety
Schools were never closed in Makana, “so no child must not attend school”. Hooggenoeg and Hlalani are still hot spots for the targeting of immigrant shopkeepers – but other areas are ready to accept the displaced families.
Dogs
In police explanations to counter rumours that body parts murders were taking place in Grahamstown, they said autopsies found dogs had mauled bodies left lying in the veld or streets.
In response, the municipality will enforce bylaws about stray dogs.
Other resolutions taken at the meeting were:
- Street committees will continue to be established in areas to aid with the reintegration of foreign nationals into those communities.
- Families of Foreign Nationals will be housed in the Joza Multipurpose Centre from 10 November. Transport, and the logistics of housing them including food, sleeping arrangements and medical care, will be organised in the next two days.
- Bylaws about stray animals will be reconsidered.
- A special committee will be established to investigate municipal officials involved in looting.
- A time frame will be drawn up for the plan.
Performance evaluations
Performance evaluations for Section 56 and Section 57 managers in the municipality received attention in the meeting.
Section 56 managers head principal administrative divisions of a municipality, according to the Municipal Systems Act, and Section 57 managers are municipal managers, and managers directly accountable to municipal managers.
Acting municipal manager Riana Meiring said these employees hadn’t undergone performance evaluations since 2010.
This meant they had not been eligible since then to receive bonuses, in terms of the Act.
DA councillor Les Reynolds criticised the municipality, saying there was a vacuum in middle management if evaluations hadn’t been done, particularly as experts from the Sarah Baartman district municipality had offered training.
Mayor Nomhle Gaga responded strongly, saying, “We are turning things around in this municipality. We obviously can’t give bonuses if there are no evaluations.
“However, I am employed to turn things around in this municipality, and I will do so.”
Sewage recycling plant
Councillors were critical of a proposal for a bulk sewage treatment solution from Chinese entity Jing Liu. The apparatus costs R10 million and recycles waste water.
Questions about the supply chain code of conduct as per the Municipal Finance Management Act, Uncertainty about the language and translation of the MOU, the fact that in there was no endorsement of it from the Department of Water and Sanitation and that dispute resolution would be in Japan came from councillors Les Reynolds, Brian Fargher, Piryawaden Ranchhod and Thuleka Ngeleza.
The offer was for Makana to have the machinery on loan for six months to monitor it.
Development Bank of SA loan
Makana is in debt of roughly R2 milllion and has an arrears debt of R11.5m.
The discussion centred around restructuring of loan repayments which are over 20 years and Ranchhod urged negotiations with the Bank for a better interest rate.
Finally, Vara announced that the Kabuso report would be on the agenda for the next Council meeting, on 3 December.
sue@grocotts.co.za
