GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - In response to an article published in Graaff-Reinet Advertiser on 3 June 2020, GRRPA and CoGTA will discuss concerns, the chief operating officer of the Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality, Hans Hendricks, confirmed that CoGTA met with the Graaff-Reinet Residents and Ratepayers Association (GRRPA) on Wednesday 1 June, to discuss concerns received from GRRPA earlier this year.
The municipality and CoGTA met the same day to discuss municipal support plans.
Regarding the concerns raised by the GRRPA, the municipality responded to CoGTA on the concerns raised by the GRRPA as per a letter dated 22 March 2022.
A copy of this letter was forwarded to the GRRPA by CoGTA and the GRRPA was therefore known with the content thereof. About the issue of communication raised by the GRRPA, the municipality stated that an arrangement was in place that the former mayor, Deon de Vos, will meet with all the stakeholders regularly.
The Municipal Manager, Edward Rankwana, and his senior managers never cancelled any meeting with the GRRPA, in fact, they met a few times.
However, after a while, the municipality realised that the issues raised by the GRRPA are no different from the issues raised and discussed in wards by councillors, ward committees and residents.
The GRRPA was made aware of this as it was important not to create a platform which might duplicate, replace or even undermine the legitimate structures, namely the ward councillors and ward committees, as the members of the GRRPA are also residents of these wards.
It must be noted that the municipal manager and senior managers are, and have always been, accessible and available to any person or organisation requesting to meet with them.
Regarding the petition against municipal salary increases the municipality stated that the request not to effect salary increases was tabled at various meetings during the budgetary processes of the Council.
The matter of salary increases for municipal employees is not to be decided by the municipality but at a national bargaining council level and as a result, Council could not adhere to the request of the GRRPA in this regard.
'We bring you the latest Graaff-Reinet, Karoo news'
