Rade mag nie net krane toedraai

Phillip de Bruin

Die Burger, 5 Maart 2012

Stadsrade mag onder geen omstandighede verbruikers se watervoorsiening afsny wanneer ’n bedrag op die rekening uitstaande is, maar daar ’n dispuut oor die bedrag is nie.

Vyf appèlregters het dié verreikende beslissing gister gegee in ’n geding wat spesifiek die metroraad van Kaapstad raak, maar ook vir alle ander stadsrade in die land sal geld.

Klik hier om verder te lees.

Councillors don't read newspapers

Cindy Liebenberg

Our Times, 4 April 2012

DEAR Reader,

It might come as a shock to you, but it has become clear that your elected councillors do not read newspapers.

This became evident during last week’s tabling of the draft annual budget when Kouga executive mayor Booi Koerat delivered an open and frank speech.

Although it was heart-warming and encouraging to hear the mayor so gallantly acknowledging the calamitous state of the municipality’s finances, it was also extremely worrying – because all the wrong-doings Our Times has reported on the past couple of years are only now being acknowledged by the present council.

Our Times was often, and is still being accused of being negative, and has been threatened with court action as we relentlessly exposed poor management within the municipality, warned of their extensive wage bill and informed our readers of the exorbitant debt to Eskom and the Nelson Mandela Metro.

Surprisingly the mayor claims the present council did not realise the dire financial situation facing this municipality when they came into power last year May.

This newspaper has been shouting about poor management, nepotism, and downright theft and fraud from the roof tops – yet no one has heard!

However, what never fails to amaze is how all the institution’s financial woes are still blamed on the past. They claim ignorance (where were they these past four years?). It might well be so in the case of the mayor and the newly-elected councillors but what about the mayoral committee and the returning councillors?

The present finance portfolio committee is made up of nine old school councillors, 5 from the ANC and 4 from the DA.

So why were these nine councilors (out of the current 29) so shocked to realise that the municipality was in deep financial trouble?

Some of the above-mentioned councillors occupied key positions in the previous council and still do. So why the sudden pleas of ignorance?

It is now common knowledge that the three Rs – Robbie (previous mayor), Ridwaan (sacked chief financial officer) and Rankwana (sacked municipal manager) had ruled the municipality with an iron fist and did not take advice from anyone.

Be that as it may, the dismal state of the municipality cannot be ignored, and hopefully those who had no say in the past will now be heard. So let us give the current council the benefit of the doubt as the mayor believes they are making inroads in returning the Kouga to the once vibrant and well-managed place it used to be.

Council approves policies

Barry Vosloo

On 28 March 2012, the Kouga Municipal Council approved a number of policy documents that are to be put into operation by the municipality. These vary from a succession and career pathing policy to a code of conduct.

The Courier – Die Koerier was particularly interested in the overtime policy. Local ratepayers have been concerned about this issue for a long time.

According to the policy, municipal employees are required to work 40 hours per week, excluding lunch breaks.

The policy further stipulates that “line managers should try at all costs to avoid overtime.”

Nonetheless, during e.g. the festive and Easter periods, employees will be allowed to work a maximum of 3 hours of overtime per day, but not more than 40 hours per month. Overtime will be paid at 1.5 times the normal wage.

It is worth noting that overtime will be closely monitored. Employees will be required to sign attendance registers when arriving for work and again when departing.

Munisipaliteit wil vasstel of inwoners met dienslewering tevrede is.

Barry Vosloo

Die Kouga-raad het ingevolge wetgewing aan die einde van verlede jaar goedkeuring aan die munisipaliteit verleen om maatreëls te tref ten einde vas te stel of inwoners en belastingbetalers tevrede is met die gehalte van die diens wat hulle ontvang.

Die raad het terselfdertyd ‘n vraelys goedgekeur wat vir daardie doel gebruik sou word.

Die Direktoraat: Administrasie, Monitering en Evaluering sou die peiling vanaf middel-November 2011 tot middel-Januarie 2012 van stapel stuur.

Tensy The Courier – Die Koerier siende blind en horende doof is, het die peiling nie binne die vasgestelde tyd plaasgevind nie.

DA pulls out of the MPAC

Barry Vosloo

Last year The Courier – Die Koerier reported that the Kouga Municipal Council had earlier approved the formation of a Municipal Public Action Committee (MPAC). Click here to read the report.

In the event of irregular or wasteful expenditure incurred by the municipality, the MPAC is empowered to request the accounting officer of the municipality and other officials to appear before it to explain their actions.

The committee was made up of nine councillors, five from the DA and four from the ANC. Councillor Chimpie Cawood was appointed as chairman.

However, at a recent Council meeting the previous resolution was overturned by arguing that most of the members of the MPAC should come from the ANC because of its majority in Council. They were happy to accept Councillor Cawood as chairman of the committee.

The DA declined. Councillor Cawood resigned as chairman and was followed by the rest of the DA members.

The Council subsequently resolved that five ANC councillors will now make up the MPAC. Councillor Earl Hill is the new chairman.

Politieke pitkos

Verbeel jou ’n samelewing waar selfs ’n kind wat in die ergste armoede gebore is, ’n breinsjirurg, konsertpianis of sportheld kan word.

Ons [die Demokratiese Alliansie s'n] droom vir Suid-Afrika is van ’n oop geleentheidsamelewing waarin almal vry, veilig en gelyk is, waar almal die geleentheid het om hul lewensgehalte te verbeter en hul drome na te volg, en waarin elke taal en kultuur ewe veel respek en erkenning kry.

Dit is die droom wat ons sal toepas – die Suid-Afrikaanse droom van een nasie met een toekoms waar almal onder die grondwet in vrede, veiligheid en welvaart saamleef, met geleenthede vir en erkenning aan al die reënboogmense. Klik hier om verder te lees.

Uit: Ons visie, Federale DA

Zille kritiseer onderwys in Oos-Kaap

RSG-nuusbulletin, 07:00, 1 April 2012

Die leier van die DA, Helen Zille, sê die gemiddelde kind in die Oos-Kaap ontvang waarskynlik swakker onderwys as kinders in sekere dele van die Demokratiese Republiek van die Kongo.

Zille het in Grahamstad afgevaardigdes by die party se Oos-Kaapse kongres toegespreek.

Sy sê die onderwys het in die grootste deel van die provinsie ineengestort, wat 'n ramp vir toekomstige geslagte beteken.

Zille sê verraad is teen dié kinders en hulle toekoms gepleeg. Sy sê dit word vererger deur die feit dat President Jacob Zuma bereid is om die onderwysersvakbond - SADOU - te steun.

Zille sê hy ondermyn sy eie ministers se pogings om onderwys in die provinsie te verbeter omdat Zuma 'n paar bykomende stemme in Mangaung nodig het.

Die woordvoerder van die ANC in die Oos-Kaap, Mlibo Qoboshiyane, het in sy reaksie gesê die DA leier het nog nooit die tyd geneem om te verstaan wat gedoen word om onderwys in die provinsie te verbeter nie. Hy sê die rol van die gemeenskap - veral vakbonde en kerke - is van die grootste belang vir die onderwys.

Hy het bygevoeg dat Zuma daartoe verbind is om te verseker dat onderrig in alle skole in die land plaasvind.