Councillor blasts CPB meetings amid poor attendance

The second edition of the community-based planning (CBP) meeting at Midrand Fire Station was very poorly attended.

The meeting on November 12 covered issues in wards 132 and 112. Ward 132’s councillor Annette Deppe said the CBP meetings were a fruitless and wasteful exercise because residents who pay big rates and taxes do not attend. “All they want is service delivery, they are not interested in what capital budget is spent, as long as the city provides adequate infrastructure. The notion that anyone should determine the trajectory of the city is deeply flawed – most people are too busy to participate. They are busy trying to make ends meet to pay for rates and taxes for this box ticking exercise,” said Deppe.

She says resurfacing and tarring of roads, a community hall, public swimming pool and an arts and culture centre are some of the priority needs for Ward 132.

Ward 112 councillor Lerato Mphefo said the department needs to do a better job in advertising and civil education as many residents do not understand how politics works. She described the attendance as ‘very poor, highly disappointing, however the efforts of those who made it is highly appreciated’.

Mphefo said urban decay was a very serious and urgent problem that needs attention. “It is easily achievable if we all work together. A change of mindset, a caring community which stops littering, stops illegal dumping and engages in clean-up campaigns. We need to bring back Ubuntu. Residents need to be the eyes and ears of the City and assist in looking after their own environment,” said Mphefo.

She said during the session, they identified low-hanging fruit: things that are easily achievable and things which are urgent for the community. They must be the ones to determine the projects according to the needs of the community.

A resident and business owner who was at the meeting, Sipho Ndzuzo said his experience was good and those who attended put forward valuable solutions to assist plan for the future. ”

“The attendance was indeed poor during the CBP meeting, but for me personally, it was helpful and informative. I think for me the bigger issue is that we need the private sector to better develop our ward. A sports centre will also come in very handy to fight other social ills such as criminality and drugs in ward 132,” said Ndzuzo.

CBPs help the municipality to understand its issues and service delivery backlogs. They also build partnerships between the community and the City.

Related article: 

https://www.citizen.co.za/midrand-reporter/313273/councillors-await-positive-feedback