|
Monday, 18 April 2011 12:07 |
Deputy Minister and MEC visit Tswaing
Media Statement
18 April 2011
Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA),, Yunus Carrim, and MEC for Local Government and Traditional Affairs (LGTA), Paul Sebego, visited Tswaing municipality as a follow-up to their two previous visits to assist with improving service delivery and encouraging greater community participation in the municipality’s activities. Deputy Minister Carrim and MEC Sebego visited Tswaing to assess progress since their 14 December visit.
The MEC and Deputy Minister launched Tswaing’s “Clean Cities Campaign” and met with the Council and the Community Steering Committee that includes business, trade union, ratepayer, residents, traditional leaders and other civil society organisations.
The Deputy Minister and MEC feel that there has been some progress in improving service delivery, but there has to be greater improvement. The MEC gave his commitment to providing more support from the provincial department.
The MEC noted that Tswaing has not completed its Draft Integrated Development Plan and budget, and urged that it be finalised within a week.
Deputy Minister Carrim said that in view of the progress made in service delivery, the Sannieshof Inwoners Belastingbetalers Unie (Ratepayers Association) (SBIU) should end its rates and services charges boycott. He said that “the ratepayers association cannot hold the municipality to ransom. “They can’t say deliver first, then we pay. What if all the citizens did this? The country will come to a standstill. The ratepayers boycott is illegal. The ratepayers are trying to punish the councillors but it’s the poorest of the poor who suffer since the municipality ends up with fewer resources to deliver services. “
“They should pay and actively participate in the Community Steering Committee and contribute to the municipality’s efforts to deliver services. The ratepayers are undermining their own case through this boycott.”
For queries regarding this statement, please contact:
Vuyelwa Qinga - 0828773898
|
