BUFFALO CITY MAYORAL IZIMBIZO MONTH

O. R. TAMBO COMMUNITY HALL, 8 OCTOBER 2007

Wards 36,38,39 and 40 [Zwelitsha, Sweetwaters, Godidi, Mount Coke, Mlakalaka, Ndileka, Golf Course, Qongqotha, Mimosa, Ginsberg, West Bank, West Drive, Bonke, Rayi, Ngxwalana, Kwalini]

Our 1996 Constitution and the local government legislation that followed it, imposed on us the obligation to break with the oppressive political culture of the past, and to govern differently. We are therefore here because of you, and we are here for you, and not for ourselves.

I recently made the observation – which I believe is true – that Buffalo City has always led the way in its commitment to a participatory culture that ensures that the letter and spirit of our Constitution and municipal legislation is respected.

We have established ward committees and we have a well-documented annual process of reviewal of our integrated development plan and budget. These are the cornerstones of a participatory democracy.

Nevertheless, much still needs to be done to ensure that Buffalo City is home to all. Collectively, we cannot pretend that we do not still have an enormous task ahead of us as we struggle to create the new and inclusive city and nation in which all of us can enjoy the reality of the better life that we have longed for and worked for.

Our vision is to make Buffalo City “a people-centred place of opportunity where the basic needs of all are met in a safe, healthy and sustainable environment.”

This is not a vision only intended for the middle classes or those living comfortably in the suburbs. None of us at the centre of local economic development can build high walls around ourselves and enjoy the fruits of growth in a sustainable way unless we do everything in our power to ensure that the benefits of such growth are shared as widely as possible. We cannot have a situation where the poor are trapped forever in their poverty, or are even becoming poorer, while the rich become ever richer.

Comrades, I want to tell you that since I was deployed last year, all the members of my Mayoral Committee have provided much-appreciated leadership and support to me at different times. From your area I have Comrade Dickson Matika who continues to do valuable work in the very important portfolio of finance. Councillor Andile Ntoni also has the critical portfolio that includes responsibility for public participation. Together with Councillor Nosisa Mawu, Councillor Banzi Mavuka, Councillor Funeka Ndyoko, Councillor Vuyo Ndumiso and your PR councillors, they do a very good job within the Council of advocating the needs and concerns of the Zwelitsha, Phakamisa and the broader rural constituency.

We have read in the media of some who say that the government does not consult the people often enough, we hear that the ANC has become arrogant in power and is not concerned about what the masses are saying. Others say without shame that we are making our people into “objects of endless izimbizo”. We are not very much concerned about this because we know that the masses of our people who are part and parcel of the people’s movement know that these are distortions and lies.

We know the distorted logic of apartheid planning that said, “Let us create a dormitory on the other side of the mountain for a labour pool that can find its way to work in our factories and our kitchens and gardens for 8 hours each day, and then return to their own world at night.”

Zwelitsha is of course a classic example of such a dumping ground. When the architects of Zwelitsha sat down with a map to decide where blacks could be relocated to pursue their separate and supposedly equal development, the quality of the infrastructure that was installed – the sewage systems, the water reticulation, the roads and the electricity – left much to be desired. Local essential amenities were insufficient – the township did not have proper halls, clinics, sportsfields or playgrounds.This is the situation that confronted Buffalo City Municipality when it was established in 2000.

Comrades, if we are honest about our own successes, we must say many local communities around the country have seen positive change in the last five to seven years: roads have been tarred and streets lit for the first time, water and electricity have been provided where they did not exist, houses have been built, millions of households are getting free basic services, sporting and recreation facilities have been built and improved, and local government has become more accessible to the people. We should be proud of these things, even while it will always be said that we could have done more, or done it better or faster. Normally such criticisms are made with the perfect wisdom of hindsight.

But we know, comrades, that all politics is local. Last year, several issues were raised here in Zwelitsha. We responded to the majority of them on the spot and promised to attend to those that we could not respond to. An issue was raised about the bad condition of roads. The municipality has since spent R571,200 repairing gravel roads here in Zwelitsha, R207,570 repairing gravel roads in Tshatshu, while R179,520 was spent on road repairs in Kwalini and R179,520 in Bhonke. The roads in Ngxwalane cost us R185,130 to repair, and a further R353,430 was spent on roads in Nkanga. R256,060 was spent on road repairs in Qongqotha. We also rehabilitated the road from Ndileka to Dubu and the road from the Phakamisa junction via Qongqotha to the Mount Coke junction.

We addressed the issue around the shortage of toilets in Ward 40 by submitting a business plan for funding. We are still awaiting a response.

We are also attending to the issue about unfinished road construction works. Roads in Zwelitsha will be continued in the next phase of the Rural Gravel Roads upgrade that will commence towards the end of the financial year. The material used on Phakamisa roads which was from a local borrow pit was tested at the quarry and found to be of the correct standard, but upon grading and placing the material it became slippery when it rained. The contractor came out and put an additional layer of special base on the roads to correct the problem.

We have installed street lights at Golf Course as per your request. We have also electrified 670 sites in Tshatshu.

The agricultural project that requested assistance to acquire a tractor has been advised to apply to the Amathole District Municipality.

There was also a request that we should clear bushes as they pose a danger to residents. Grass cutting in all areas has been provided for in the grass mowing programmes of the Environmental Services Department. We will involve SAPS to deal with criminality in the area.

The need for sports facilities was also raised. We are continuing with our programme for developing and upgrading sports fields. In the past two years we have been working on the Zwelitsha Stadium.

There was also a request that graves in the rural areas should be refurbished. We have already started with this programme, and have just completed upgrading the Zwelitsha cemetery.

A concern was raised over ongoing water cuts. The matter is being addressed by DWAF at our request and refurbishment is already taking place. The issue that we are dealing with directly is the problem around illegal connections.

The problem around leaking water pipes in the rural areas is also being attended to by DWAF. Here again the municipality is addressing the problem around illegal connections.

The people of Sweetwaters complained about the defective foundations of some of their houses. The Provincial Housing Department has appointed a contractor to complete the Sweetwater Phase 3 project. All defective workmanships will be addressed by the new contractor.

The request for street names and street name posts will be decided between the local communities and DPED. Once this is finalized the municipality will erect the street name posts.

There was a request for the river crossing between Zone 1 and Zone 5 to be upgraded. We have applied to the Municipal Infrastructure Grant for funding for this project. We will also consider including it in the 2007/08 Imbizo projects.

Another request was for a bridge between Zwelitsha and Sweetwaters. BCM is entering into negotiations with the East Cape Government regarding this bridge as it will of necessity cross a provincial road.

As I have already stated, we are attending to the problem of leaking water pipes.

A need was expressed for a youth centre to nurture talent among our youth. We have completed constructing the KWT Community Support Centre and we will be launching it before the end of the financial year to cater not only for KWT but also surrounding areas. The youth will be able to utilize this centre.

The scarcity of job opportunities came up as a very thorny issue. Amongst other initiatives, the municipality is developing a new database and a service provider has already been appointed and will be visiting the wards to distribute and collect application forms during early November. This process will create 120 jobs throughout the wards in BCM.

A programme of regular maintenance of electricity supply and infrastructure has been started to address the problem of unreliable electricity supply. This programme will run until June 2008.

A request was made that construction and other projects should be monitored closely. In this regard, progress on all MIG projects is reported to Province on a monthly basis. Without adequate reports they will not transfer funding for the next phase. All capital projects have a Project Steering Committee (PSC) as well as a community liaison officer (CLO) appointed for purposes of communication and attending to community-related issues. The PSC meets at least monthly and the CLO is a full-time appointment for the duration of the construction period.

Youth in construction were awarded the tender by BCM for the 620 houses in Phase 3 of Sweetwaters. The houses were not built according to the specified standard and the project has been handed back to Province for completion. Province have already gone out to tender for the work.

The Business Place in King William’s Town offers training and awareness workshops on a variety of subjects. People who need clarity on the municipality’s Employment Equity Strategy and Employment Equity Plan are therefore advised to approach the Business Place.

An enquiry was made around the availability of projects for women in this area. The answer is yes, a number of projects targeting women and youth are presently being implemented in the area.

The problem of bursting water pipes and the subsequent concern over dirty and contaminated water in Marlway is being addressed through an infrastructure upgrading programme.

A request was made for a multi-purpose centre. We will be launching the new community centre in King William’s Town before the end of the financial year. Renovations at the Town Hall are now complete.

On the request that we should not utilise non-performing contractors to build houses I wish to state that some housing projects are being implemented by private developers with funds approved by the DHLGTA. Nevertheless, the projects have to be approved by BCM.

We unfortunately do not have the necessary funds right now to build a bridge between Zwelitsha and Bhonke. This project will be prioritised in future budgets.

There was also a request for the conversion of public open spaces into playgrounds. The municipality has already spent R312,507 developing open space, and unfortunately the current budget doesn’t allow for conversion of these public open space into playgrounds. However, a portion of the R30 million for Mayoral Projects will be used for beautification of the areas.

During the past financial year we spent R398,950 upgrading sportsfields in Schornville, and R675,616 was used for upgrading community halls. R745,047 was used to upgrade the Zwelitsha Stadium and R877,193 was used to upgrade the public safety offices in King William’s Town.

In this financial year we have allocated R16 million towards augmenting our water treatment capacity and R7 million for raising the upper weir. We have budgeted R13,5 million for wastewater treatment and R1,5 million for rural sports facilities. Rural agricultural development programmes are receiving R1 million.

Currently, 1,747 households from Ward 36 benefit from the municipality’s indigent subsidy scheme, and that costs the municipality R4,368,724 per year. A further 1,605 households from Ward 38 benefit from this indigent subsidy scheme, at an annual cost of R3,584,022 to the municipality. In Ward 39 there are 1,837 households benefiting from this subsidy at an annual cost of R5,236,772. In Ward 40 there are 1,756 households benefiting at a cost of R4,831,526 to the municipality.

Out of the R100,000 allocated to each ward annually, Ward 36 purchased playground equipment for R27,000 and bought computers for R8,227 and tubing material for the community hall for R9,600. Ward 38 used R5,000 to to buy a PA system, R12,000 on brush cutters and R83,000 on sports kits. Ward 39 used R86,000 to buy sports equipment. Ward 40 bought 12 computers for R98,733.

The municipality made available R18 million to be shared amongst all the wards in Buffalo City for use in development and upgrading projects. Part of this money was used to install light fittings and street lights, and R1,7 million went into repairing gravel roads. We also beautified the entrances into Zwelitsha and upgraded the high-mast lighting in Ginsberg. We used R825,830 to repair gravel roads in Ginsberg and Ngxwalana. We also beautified the entrance into King William’s Town from the Grahamstown side.

This amount was increased to R30 million for the current financial year. R5 million will be spent on projects that will benefit women, while R3 million will go into youth programmes. We will await proposals from our communities on the kind of programmes and projects that should be implemented. The balance of the funds will be used for other service delivery priorities such as electricity, roads and beautification of entrances.

Comrades, we have not just come here to talk, but also to listen. So as I hand back to the Programme Director, I want to invite you again to share your concerns and issues with us, not because we have forgotten what you said to us last year, but rather because we have made a commitment to each year go out to all our areas and engage our people, to listen to your voice and to take it seriously – to create a responsive local government.

Because time is not on our side, my appeal to all of us therefore is to be brief and to the point, debate vigorously but constructively, ask yourself before you speak how your suggestion will take us forward, come with ideas and solutions and not just problems, and let us support each other in trying to find viable and sustainable solutions to the challenges that we face.

I thank you.

N.C. Peter Executive Mayor, Buffalo City Municipality

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