Letter: Irresponsible pay rise

Malcolm Kensett of Ballito writes:

With reference to the advertised municipal tariff hikes for struggling residents (Courier May 22), nobody who is half awake and who lives on the Dolphin Coast needs to be told that our world has completely changed, that is except the management of the KwaDukuza municipality.

The virus – and associated shutdown – is killing our local economy as well as the rest of South Africa’s.

Our hospitality industry and small businesses are all but dead.

Property development, rentals and associated services crippled.

It is a long list and who knows how many will survive, let alone prosper again.

It is clear that South Africa and the Dolphin Coast are entering their worst recession ever with the number of people at just about every street corner begging for food being a constant reminder.

Then in the middle of all this the KwaDukuza municipality advertises a record budget and six percent increase in rates.

This is not only incredulous; it is also irresponsible and insensitive.

It can only have been compiled by people who are oblivious to the facts and sheltered by a regular monthly salary paid for by those whose salaries are not guaranteed or regular.

Shame on you.

I can write pages on their poor track record and mismanagement, but this newspaper does not have the space.

I can also comment on aspects of the budget and am sure many others can too.

That is not the point of my letter.

The bottom line is: “It cannot continue to be business as usual at the municipality, it’s time for change.”

We have distant and arrogant management and completely ineffective councillors (attending meetings does not make you important or effective).

We have a huge budget (black hole) and although there are lovely presentations at budget time, nobody on a day-to-day basis really knows what is going on and the priorities of the different municipal wards are not known or served.

The system is dysfunctional, not working and seemingly complicated. It needs to be overhauled.

Start by KwaDukuza management adjusting their thinking to current realities, i.e.: rateable income will go down and not up by six percent.

Property values used as a basis for rate calculations are likely to go down, my guess on average by 25 percent. So, reduce rateable income by 25 percent.

Water and electricity have their own dynamics.

That done, based on your track record, we still do not trust you to use municipal income wisely.

The next step then is to adjust your accounting approach from a ‘dark hole’ where details are hidden to the following:

a) Agree with established rate payer organisations what the exact “municipal office” overheads for the last financial year was. Reduce by 40 percent and use as basis for the new budget.

b) Allocate the projected balance using an agreed formula to each ward.

c) Now, give ward councillors a real job (attending meetings is not real work) and let them agree with their ward members, who elected them, each ward’s priorities and budget accordingly. Have regular ratepayer feedback.

This will immediately change the current dynamics and introduce real democracy which currently does not exist.

I hear calls of “aaaaagh it’s more complicated than that”. Really? What is complicated about spending within your means and being accountable to those who elected you and pay your salaries?

If we cannot start making positive change now stimulated by external factors imposed on us then we deserve the municipality we have. Start by supporting the local initiatives opposing the current draft budget.

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