MBOMBELA – For the third time the local municipality did not advertise its monthly council meeting, of which the last was held in September.
Ordinary council meetings were held on September 29 and June 30. Special council meetings, meant to address urgent matters, were held on August 28 and July 30.
None of these were advertised in print media. Mbombela Local Municipality (MLM) said it advertised using other alternatives instead.
According to spokesman for MLM, Mr Joseph Ngala, the budget became depleted towards the end of the financial year, which ended on June 30. “Note we didn’t advertise in June because our budget was depleted. However we had advertised in February and May.”
The new financial year started on July 1.
But Ngala said on August 26, in response to questions by the newspaper that in cases where meetings are not advertised in the print media, pamphlets and posters are distributed in MLM’s five service centres of Mbombela Library, KaNyamazane, Matsulu, KaBokweni, White River, Hazyview and in the nine traditional authorities’ offices.
“We will now and again advertise all council meetings as it is an obligation by law, hence, we will now and again communicate with you as to when we have gatherings,” he said.
Former caucus leader of the opposition and one of the DA’s PR councillors, Mr Jo Koster, said it was a challenge for councillors to have ordinary meetings only once every three months, as this is their platform to represent their constituents’ concerns.
“We have only four meetings in a year where we can ask questions and table motions. And they don’t even bother advertising the four ordinary meetings we do have. Public gatherings must be open.”
The situation results in councillors having to routinely wait three months for feedback from the executive, even for urgent matters. According to the Municipal Structures Act, a municipal council must conduct its business in an open manner.
In terms of Section 17 of the Municipal Systems Act, municipalities are required to put in place systems for communities to participate in the decision-making process in the form of petitions and being notified of issues being considered by the council. It must also allow a process for public comment.
The public- participation meetings on the IDP for the 2016/17 financial year, which is to be conducted this week, have been advertised widely.
- Read more on Mbombela Local Municipality here.
