“The 2015/2106 Integrated Development Plan and budget process plan were rocked by anarchy, disrespect, poor discipline and intolerance”. These were the words of the South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) Mogale City sub-regional leader, Monica Tshabalala.
Mogale City’s Executive Mayor, Koketso Calvin Seeran, and his mayoral committee recently held public participation road shows and visited various areas in the Mogale City region. These IDP/Budget roadshows all started in Wards 4 and 5, of Extension 12, Kagiso. But, in essence, the IDP/ Budget public participation started in the rural areas.
The IDP/Budget roadshow programme came just after the mayor had delivered his last State of the City Address (Soca). The roadshows were supposed to provide feedback to the communities on issues raised during previous roadshows and outlined in the 2015/16 IDP/Budget process plan.
However, this year events turned into housing and economic development meetings. The issue of the housing development project in Extension 13 has generated a lot of interest among the residents. It, as well as the so-called special cases and the re-allocation of Tudor Shaft people, has caused huge frustration and confusion among the housing applicants.
Sanco Mogale City sub-region has been keeping a very sharp eye on what is happening at these events. It seems that agitators have been planted in various public meetings after being thoroughly trained on how to agitate and create disorder.
This must be guarded against, because it causes the roadshow system to collapse, just as happened in Wards 14 and 15. “There is no place for destruction and anarchy”, said Sanco.
The mayor encouraged communities to continue to attend public participation meetings to share their views on important decision affecting their areas. He also emphasised that councillors are a much-needed link between the municipality and the people, and continued to encourage residents to work closely with them.
