The Municipal Systems Act - Part 4

As indicated previously (see http://thecourier-diekoerier.blogspot.com/2011/09/municipal-systems-act-part-3.html) The Courier/Die Koerier will post excerpts from a summary of the Municipal Systems Act over the next few weeks. Here is Part 4, which deals with the rights and duties of the members of the local community.

"Just like municipal councils have rights and duties, members of municipal communities also have rights and duties.

Members of the local community have the right to participate in the decision-making processes of the municipality. They have the right to use and enjoy public facilities, and the right to access to municipal services. They also have the right to submit recommendations, complaints or representations to the municipality, and to expect prompt responses from the municipality.

Members of the local community have the right to be informed of decisions of the municipal council, and to expect the council to disclose information about its business and finances. They have the right to attend meetings of the municipal council and its committees, and to demand that the council acts in a transparent and impartial way.

Members of local communities also have duties. In some instances, their rights are directly linked to their duties. For example, members of the local community have a duty to pay service fees, rates and taxes. Their right to access municipal services is linked to their duty to pay for those services. Similarly, members of the local community have a right to participate in municipal decision-making, linked to a duty to utilise the procedures and mechanisms established to enable participation.

Members of the local community have a duty to allow municipal officials reasonable access to their property for the performance of municipal functions, to comply with municipal by-laws, and to respect the municipal rights of other members of the local community."