Adv Jock McConnachie raised this matter some months ago. I explained to him that at that time, all the wards, except Wards 12 and 4 had Ward Committees. Since then the Ward 12 Committee has been elected and the Ward 4 elections are, I believe, happening tonight; so by tomorrow morning all the wards in Makana should have Ward Committees.

I also explained to Adv McConnachie that the Ward 8 Committee meets at least once a month and the issues discussed run the gamut of the problems facing Makana, including feral children, the financial crisis, crime, infrastructural collapse, illegal dumping, stray animals and the like. I further explained to Adv McConnachie that the Speaker’s office is the repository of ward committee minutes, many of which are in hard copy only. As a citizen, he has the right, and as a civic activist he has the duty to go to the Speaker’s office to scrutinise those minutes. The full council receives a precis of  the issues raised by all the ward committees in the council agendas, which are public documents.

I would like to thank Adv  McConnachie for raising these issues and allowing me the opportunity to inform the public that the Ward 8 Ward Committee comprise Aikhona Gabavana, Charmaine Prince, Jabu Salaze, Vaneshree Moodley, Zoleka Frans, Kimberley Prince and Phumlani Cimi. The committee is three members short, and  any Ward 8 resident who wishes to serve on the committee is welcome to email me at eccapass@yahoo.com. Hopefully we will soon have a Ward office too.

Brian Jackson