KAROO NEWS - “The only option for taxpayers to show their dissatisfaction with the proposed budget is to withhold their payment until the municipality gets its affairs in order.”
This statement by Willowmore councillor Louwrens Nortje reflects the frustration of many community members with the proposed increases of 8% for services and salary increases of 6.25% for municipal employees.
Members of the community could participate and comment on the draft budget, and reviewed IDP documents at a series of open days held throughout the Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality.
Nortje claims that the Willowmore and Steyterville communities have been disadvantaged, as there were no senior officials available to give any explanation on the 8% hike in tariffs and taxes in the new budget.
He feels that the timetable does not give sufficient time for any inputs from the community to be given adequate consideration. Submissions and comments on the draft budget and IDP could be made to the mayor up until 22 June. An EXCO meeting was originally scheduled for 24 June, and a Special Council Meeting for 26 June, in which the main item of the agenda is the adoption of the IDP and budget for 2020/2021. “How are they going to be able to work through all the inputs and give feedback to the communities before 26 June?” questioned Nortje.
On 23 June, councillors were informed that the EXCO meeting would be postponed for two days until 26 June, and the virtual Special Council Meeting will now take place on 29 June.
“This only proves that management has no respect for the communities and that the budget is going to be steamrolled through council by the majority vote, and that they are only ticking the compliance boxes for the public participation process,” he said.
Points raised by Nortje include the extravagant increases in employment- related expenditure to the detriment of core functions of repair and maintenance, which decreased to less than 2 % of the budget. “The salaries of the four directors and the municipal manager range between R1.2 million and R1.45 million per annum, which together with a salary increase of 6.25% for the rest of the employees, takes 40% of the operating budget,” explained Nortje.
In response to Nortje’s comments, acting municipal spokesperson, Edwardine Abader, stated that at least one municipal official was present at each venue to engage with members of the public. “Where no budget and treasury official was present, arrangements were made to connect virtually with a senior official in Graaff-Reinet, to address any queries or provide information,” said Abader.
Regarding the short timeframe to process the comments, Abader said that comments have been processed upon receipt and none will be left unattended. “Any that were still deposited on Monday will still be processed.”
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