Chairman: Roelf du Plooy rduplooy@oldmutualpfa.com
News from Phalaborwa:
Phalaborwa’s problem is that municipal accounts are not being sent out on time or sometimes even at all, yet ratepayers are charged interest on overdue amounts. A report from a resident of the town says that timely intervention from the RA prevented a massive rates increase and pressured the municipality to reduce its budget.
The RA has decided to call a dispute with their municipality. Here is a copy of the letter that was sent to the council:
BA-PHALABORWA WARD 5 COMMITTEE
Tel: 015 781 9620 P.O. Box 1719
Fax: 015 781 9640 Phalaborwa
Cell: 082 870 0596 1390
Email: rduplooy@oldmutualpfa.com 25 June 2009
Enquiries: RJ Du Plooy
The MEC of Land Housing and Local Government
28 Market Street
Private Bag X 9485
Polokwane
0700
The Hon. Mr. Soviet Lekganyane
REPORT ON WARD 5 COMMITTEE COMMUNICATION FAILURE WITH THE PHALABORWA MUNICIPALITY
1. Please receive copies of minutes of Ward 5 Committee meetings sent to the Municipal Manager of Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality for action dated:
a. 23 January 2006
b. 8 August 2006
c. 5 September 2006
d. 9 October 2006
e. 13 November 2006
f. 24 April 2007
g. 26 June 2007
h. 27 August 2007
i. 27 September 2007
j. 31 January 2008
k. 27 February 2008
l. 27 March 2008
m. 30 April 2008
n. 28 May 2008
o. 25 June 2008
p. 31 July 2008
q. 28 August 2008
r. 25 September 2008
s. 23 October 2008
t. 12 November 2008
u. 26 February 2009
v. 15 April 2009
w. 13 May 2009
2. I respectfully wish to point out that of all the issues of concern about Municipal services delivery, none were addressed. As a rule no feed-back or reply was received from either the Municipal Manager or the Speaker or Mayor of Ba-Phalaborwa.
3. The main issues of concern raised by the Ward 5 Committee revolves around the following:
a. Failure of Street Maintenance
b. Failure in maintenance of Public Parks and Sidewalks
c. Failure of the Ba-Phalaborwa Sewerage System
d. Failure of Health Services
e. Failure of the maintenance of Law and Order
f. Failure of maintenance of the Electrical Supply System
g. Failure of the Municipal Accounts Management System’
h. Concern around Water Supply to Residents of Ward 5. (This issue was addressed partially)
i. Failure of the maintenance of the Municipal Dumping site that is posing a health threat to residents of Phalaborwa.
j. Failure of the management of Street Vendors in front of the Checkers Shopping Centre that is creating a health threat in the CBD.
k. Failure of Personnel Management of appointment of unqualified personnel and the dismissal of qualified and skilled personnel.
l. Disciplinary issues around Cllr Makayela that remain unresolved since 13 March 2008.
m. Excessive expenditure on social and or cultural activities by Council specifically with reference to the Marula Festival that is presently a threat to law and order maintenance in Ward 5.
4. The most serious accusation against the Ba-Phalaborwa Municipal Manager, the Speaker and the Mayor, however remains their zero-reaction to all the Ward 5 Committee inputs since the previous Municipal Election in 2006. Proof of this fact can be provided with copies of all the monthly Ward 5 Committee meetings minutes since then that was sent to the Municipal Manager with the Speaker and the Mayor as info addressee.
5. In conclusion I wish to state that the Ba-Phalaborwa Rate-Payers Association has declared a dispute with the Municipality that is going to result in a rates and taxes withholding of payment as of 5 July 2009 due to the failure of Municipal service delivery to the community.
6. Your assistance is requested to restore acceptable Municipal services delivery in Ba-Phalaborwa and to assist the Ward 5 Committee to establish meaningful communication with the Municipal Manager, the Speaker and the Mayor.
I thank you
_____________
( CLLR. RJ DU PLOOY)
WARD 5 COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN
cc: The Premier, Limpopo Province
The M.M. Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality
The Speaker Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality
The Mayor Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality
Tags: Limpopo, Phalaborwa