Municipal response rejected

Update

KAROO NEWS - The constant delay of the anticipated response from Dr Beyers Naude Local Municipality (DBNLM) to the memorandum delivered after a peaceful march on 8 February by the People for Basic Rights (P4BR) and residents from across the DBNLM area, leaves a lot to be desired.

Johnny Swartz, member of P4BR and chairman of the Camdeboo Community Development Forum, confirmed that a written response handed over in an envelope was finally provided on Wednesday 1 March, while P4BR delegates were waiting outside the municipality.

The delegates requested that the response be given in person by the municipal manager (MM) or another high-ranking official.

But, it did not come as much of a surprise that on this particular day, the MM was in Port Elizabeth. Speaker Cheslin Felix agreed to meet with them to discuss the response. At first, Felix wanted to remain behind the safety door while talking to the delegates, but on request agreed to invite them into his office to discuss how P4BR will be handling the process moving forward.

Swartz confirmed that the P4BR committee had rejected the municipality's response in principle as they did not respond to all issues in the memorandum.

Further details of their response will be made available at a later stage. For the time being, a meeting has been requested with the MM and all other senior officials to discuss the burning issues face-to-face.

Sias Smith, P4BR delegate and convener of Action Save Dr Beyers Naude Local Municipality (ASDBLM), reiterates that the community deserves to have their grievances heard. "The municipal management should show the people that respect."

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