The no-show of the acting municipal manager of J.B. Marks at a public participation meeting to discuss the 2020/21 annual report has left residents fuming.
The meeting, arranged by MPAC (Municipal Public Accounts Committee) was supposed to occur at 17:00 on Tuesday, 24 May, but by 18:15, the meeting was postponed to a later date.
This is because, according to the Local Government: Municipal Finance Management Act (No. 56 of 2003), “the accounting officer must attend council and council committee meetings where the annual report is discussed to respond to questions concerning the report.”
The acting municipal manager was allegedly held up at another meeting at the same time.
The public could not raise questions to relevant members of the administration and felt the meeting was a waste of time.
“It clearly shows that our current councillors do not take us seriously and take us for granted. How can they call a meeting and not pitch? Others just came late,” stated one of the residents.
“What hurts me most is that I left a two-year-old at home with my 10-year-old boy to come to this meeting. There is not even water supplied to us in the meeting when they know we currently do not have water at our homes. I am done coming to any meeting of J.B. Marks Municipality,” stated an angry resident.
“I apologise on behalf of MPAC that this meeting has to be postponed,” stated MPAC chairperson, Rufane Makousa.
