Kouga DA-raadslid presteer in swem

Bettie Gilliomee

Die Burger, 10 April 2012

Suid-Afrika se enigste oopwater-vlinderslagswemmer, Brenton Williams (45) van Jeffreysbaai, het die afgelope twee weke nie net ‘n wêreldrekord laat spat nie, maar ook uitstekend gevaar in die moordende 8 km Bell Buoy-uitdaging by die Splashfees in Port Elizabeth.

Nou het Williams die oop stuk see tussen Robbeneiland en Drieankerbaai in Kaapstad in sy visier.

Williams, DA-raadslid van die Kouga-munisipaliteit, swem sedert hy ses jaar oud is en het hierdie seisoen vir die eerste keer vlinderslag begin swem in oopwater-kompetisies.

Volgens hom is hy die enigste Suid-Afrikaner wat dit tans doen.

Hoë morele grond

Fred Mouton in Die Burger, 10 April 2012
Klik hier om spotprent te besigtig.

Kouga DA skerp sy kommunikasie op

Barry Vosloo

Die Kouga DA kommunikeer al beter. Klik hier en kyk self. Hulle moet net nie vergeet dat hulle baie Afrikaanssprekendes se steun geniet nie! Hierbenewens is plaaslike politieke nuus ook maar skrapserig.

Draft budget: approved or not?

Monique Basson

Kouga Express, 5 April 2012

A HEATED debate surrounds the draft budget that was approved in council last week. Click here to read a report which appeared in the Kouga Express on 29 March 2012.

According to municipal spokesperson, Laura-Leigh Randall, council approved a draft operating budget of just more than R517 million for 2012/2013 at a meeting in Jeffreys Bay on March 28.

DA Caucus leader, councillor Chimpie Cawood, lashed out at this statement, saying: “The DA Caucus wish[es] to put on record that the 2012/2013 budget was not approved at the council meeting on March 28, but referred to a workshop for further discussion.”

Randall said: “The municipality stands by the media release, which was issued after the meeting at which the draft budget was adopted. Please note, that both the article and headline in the Kouga Express clearly state that it was the ‘draft budget’ that was approved. The ‘draft’ is not the final document. It is a working document.

“The media release, as issued by the municipality is, therefore, correct and can also be viewed here.”

Click here to read the rest of this report.

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.