Concern about issues affecting residents

DA Cllr Rene Pohl Writes:

There is a serious concern regarding issues that directly affects all residents in Tzaneen.

One of these issues is the parking metre system which came into effect in the Tzaneen Central Business District (CBD) on Wednesday.

The following Municipal laws are relevant: The Local Government Municipal Systems Act, Section 5(1) Members of the local community have the right to- (a)1 contribute to the decision making processes of the municipality.

Section 16.(1) A municipality must develop a culture of municipal governance that complements formal representative government with a system of participatory governance, and Must for this purpose-(a) encourage and create conditions for, the local community to participate in the affairs of the municipality.

Section 17(a) Participation by the local community in the affairs of the municipality MUST take place through- (a) political structures for participation in terms of the Municipal Structures Act.

Since I became a Ward Cllr., I was excluded from serious issues like the present parking metre issue, the hawker and bush mechanic issue etc.

I was never invited to any meeting with the relevant stakeholders regarding any of these issues.

Neither were the Ward committee members invited or being communicated to or informed about these issues.

Officials make their own decisions and implement it without informing myself as the Ward Cllr. I have complained about this at almost every Council Meeting, but without success.

The tax payers of Tzaneen contribute 51% to the budget! Council has also been supplied with incomplete information by an official, which could easily lead to another court case.

All the items on the Agenda of the Special Council Meeting on Thursday, was referred back by Council, due to the DA having informed Exco members that this is the same official which the DA has complained about! The DA handed information over to the minister of Local Governance, Minister Pravin Gordhan to inform him of the way GTM is governing, ignoring Municipal laws and Regulations, leading to a loss of millions of Rands in court cases and wasting the tax payers’ money.

The DA will also take these issues to the Public Protector, if this is not corrected with immediate effect.

Vehicles driving through open spaces and parks in Tzaneen, as well as taxis washing their vehicles, especially in Park Street has also been referred to the relevant Department.

The DA made a suggestion to close all these spaces with similar poles as seen at the Tzaneen entrance opposite the nursery.

Residents can e-mail their complaints regarding the parking metres to my e-mail address, renepohlda@gmail.com

This is the only legal way to be able to address this issue and make an impact. I can be contacted at 079 707 1955.