The way ahead in 2015

Madam – THE WAY AHEAD IN 2015

In the Advertiser of 5 December 2014 the Mayor gave your readers a brief overview of the challenges that lie ahead, leading towards the next election in 2016 and how these challenges would be approached.

Unlike other towns, the people of Newcastle are fortunate to have seen and experience the many projects that were completed over the last number of years as highlighted in the

Annual Reports, however we believe much more could have been achieved had more realistic capital budgets been approved and contractors with the necessary expertise been appointed to complete such projects within set time limits.

There are numerous cases where contractors have been replaced causing undue delays in the completion of such projects with unnecessary implications, the swimming pool

in Madadeni being one of such cases. Had Council complied with the requirements of the Municipal Finance and Management Act (article 112 (1) (k)) by co-opting experienced and qualified people to participate in the Supply Chain Management system, many of the problems that are now being experienced could have been avoided.

While it is exciting to read that a very intensive service delivery budget will be prepared for 2015/2016, cognisance must be taken of the fact that the financial resources of the Municipality are compromised due to the high outstanding debt which in all probability will be in excess of R1-billion by the end of the financial year.

It is therefore the Association’s considered opinion that in preparing a feasible capital budget, operational expenditure should, except for maintenance, be kept to the minimum,

thereby keeping tariff increases to the minimum. Overseas trips, travelling and subsistence, appointment of consultants, employment of security personnel for some councillors and officials, to name a few should be drastically reduced or even deleted completely.

The Council should again ask themselves whether this Municipality can afford and should have 19 directors and 54 managers on its staff establishment. It is most concerning that this Municipality employs more people than the city of Pietermaritzburg.

We wish to propose that in 2015/2016 Council will initiate a programme to keep the community informed of progress on various projects on a regular basis, monthly or quarterly simply because the ward committees are failing to do just that. Council should even consider arranging tours to visit such projects which will have a more profound impact than

spending time and money on gender gatherings.

This could inculcate a feeling of commitment and develop a sense of belonging among the wider community. In this regard we wish to stress again that Council has a legal and constitutional obligation to involve the community that goes beyond the relationship between Council and the ward committees.

In this regard we refer specifically to the Constitution which stipulates that the objectives of local government are inter alia to encourage the involvement of community organisations and the community. The Structures Act states very clearly that Exco must report annually on these involvements while the Systems Act prescribes that the Municipality has a duty to encourage the involvement of the community. We are urging Council to make a thorough study thereof in order to comply therewith.

We can only hope that Council will come up with specific strategies to address the many problems, financially and administratively and to consult the community in this regard in order to find a common solution that would be beneficial to all the people of Newcastle, thereby strengthening real democracy.

Thank you.

Newcastle Ratepayers’ Association