BILLY FRANCIS HALL, 9 OCTOBER 2007

Wards 5, 6, 7 & 11

[Parkside, Buffalo Flats, Vergenoeg, New rest, Ndancama, Egoli, Bomela]

I greet you Programme Director, councillors and municipal officials, members of ward committees, business people, honoured guests and members of the community and welcome you all very warmly to this Imbizo.

I am very encouraged to see you all here because as I look at your faces, I see those veterans who are old enough to be my mothers and my fathers, I see those who are at an age where I can call you my brothers and my sisters, and I see also those young lions and activists who could be my sons and daughters.

I see among you many who were here last year in November when we held our first Imbizo in this hall, and I am encouraged that you are here again because it shows that you continue to believe that you are part of our municipality, and that you have a role to play in your own government.

We are here as Buffalo City councillors, supported by our officials, because when we were elected last year we promised in our election manifesto that during our term of office:

• we would strive to enhance and deepen local democracy;
• we would strive to improve the participation of citizens in the process of decision-making, in the allocation of resources, and the identification of local needs and priorities;
• we would strive to put the people at the centre of development, not merely as beneficiaries, but as drivers of transformation.

The Manifesto went on to say that we are committed to striving to halve unemployment and poverty by 2014 and to ensure that all South Africans are able to enjoy the full dignity of freedom.

This then is our fundamental task and mandate as elected public representatives at a local level. 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. Councillor Andile Ntoni has the critical portfolio that includes responsibility for public participation. Together with Councillor Siyabonga Jabavu, Councillor Mayenzeke Dinizulu, Councillor Mxolisi Qebeyi, Councillor Nomakhaya Fani and your PR councillors, they do a very good job within the Council of advocating the needs and concerns of the local community.

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.”

Buffalo Flats is a classic example of such a dumping ground. When the architects of Buffalo Flats sat down with a map to decide where people who were classified as non-whites 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 area 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, 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 the Billy Francis Hall. 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 around expenditure in Second Creek. Our records show that about R1,2 million was spent in Second Creek on waste clean-up, sanitation, facilities, water supply, a food garden, recycling equipment and an awareness program on life skills, health and hygiene.

There was a request for a youth centre. Construction has now been completed on the Gompo Community Support Centre and we will be launching the centre before the end of this financial year. The centre will also have youth advisors.

We have managed to address the problem of illegal dumps by increasing our fleet of trucks and machinery. Some of the illegal dumps have already been cleared and beautified.

There was a request from the local community for the municipality to establish a satellite office here in Buffalo Flats. The idea is very good and sensible, and we are applying our minds on the issue. In the meantime, households that have prepaid electricity meters can use this facility to pay their rates and services accounts at the Buffalo Flats Spar, the Vukuzenzele Butchery or the nearest electricity vendor.

We have submitted a request to the provincial government for financial assistance to build sports fields to satisfy your expressed need.

There was also a request that the Empilweni Clinic should open for 24-hours. It gives me pleasure to inform you that this clinic now operates on a 24-hour basis; its doors are forever open. The only challenge we have now is to increase the nursing staff, and we have appealed to the provincial government in this regard since clinics are their responsibility.

We have also forwarded the request for a library to the provincial government and we are awaiting a response.

Electricity has since been installed in all completed houses in Alphendale as per a request made during my last visit here, and additional infill houses have also been electrified.

Maintenance of street lights is ongoing. We have also added more street lights in Scenery Park.

We will commence with building pavements, as per your request, as soon as funds become available.

We have already started building speed humps and pedestrian crossings in many areas as a traffic safety measure.

The Ward Councillor for Wilsonia is engaged in ongoing negotiations with the provincial government concerning your request for a bridge in Wilsonia. Our aim is to access funds from the Municipal Infrastructure Grant for this purpose.

In April this year a business seminar was held in Gompo where various service providers facilitated skills training and advised on funding opportunities for youth projects. A programme that is funded by the Lotto was also presented.

Again, in my State of the City address this year I promised funding for youth programmes, and I am happy to report that a project implementation plan is already in place to drive this programme.

Also, the municipality is currently creating a database of eligible and available work seekers. During the month of November we will employ 120 people across Buffalo City to visit all the wards to collect this information. These people will be engaged when temporary jobs become available the municipality’s ongoing cleaning and beautification programmes and other programmes of the Expanded Public Works Programme.

The planning and implementation of a housing programme for shack dwellers in Second Creek is being dealt with by a steering committee. This committee has already started with its social survey and land identification processes, and is now preparing a project implementation plan.

We have already started with the requested maintenance of the toilets at Nomzamo, and we hope to complete this project within the current financial year.

The District Engineer is presently doing a feasibility study around the supply of water to needy communities as per your request, and we hope to include this project in the municipality’s operational programme.

The request for the maintenance of unproclaimed roads has presented a problem for us in that we can only work on proclaimed roads.

The District Engineer has also been tasked to look into your request for leaking taps and burst water pipes to be repaired. It may be possible that these will need to be changed altogether. We will in the meantime include this project in our operational programme.

The municipality is currently engaged in talks with the provincial government in an attempt to rectify structural defects in houses in the Egoli housing project. Your Ward Councillor will report back to you on progress in this regard.

The problem with ongoing electricity blackouts is being investigated and will be put on the funding programme. Meanwhile, routine maintenance is continuing. Work will start very soon on installing street lights in the Esplanade and this programme should be completed by June 2008.

During the past financial year we used R526,316 on training facilities and R258,877 to build our disaster management capacity. We spent R507,325 upgrading clinics and R105,159 on coastal zone projects and management. R244,486 was used to improve bulk water supply to coastal areas, while R40,980 went into upgrading libraries. We spent R5,773,585 upgrading rural roads and R208,607 on transport and traffic safety projects. R452,836 went into upgrading fire stations and R150,000 was used to erect speed humps.

In this financial year we have allocated R500,000 for training, R250,000 for coastal zone projects and management, R475,000 for the housing project in Duncan Village, R3,9 million for the Haven Hills South housing project, R1,2 million for the development of a community hall in Scenery Park and R30,000 for speed humps.

In Ward 5, there are 711 families benefiting from our indigent subsidy scheme to the value of R2,026,861 a year. Ward 6 has 300 beneficiary families and the annual cost is R855,216. In Ward 7 there are 1,021 families, costing the municipality R2,910,585 a year. Ward 11 has got 1,990 families receiving this subsidy to the value of R5,672,932 a year.

From the R100,000 allocated to each year ward for the past financial year, Ward 6 bought playground equipment for R67,350, spent R31,108 on four bush cutters and R689 on garden equipment. Ward 7 used just over R4,760 on electrical equipment, R16,600 on a tent, R20,790 on sports kits, R8,228 on a computer, R1,664 on four tables, R25,680 on a music system, R6,840 for 100 plastic chairs, and R15,162 for a gas stove and pots. Ward 11 spent R69,000 on playground equipment, R333.60 to buy 80 gloves, R8,435 on a car loud-hailer and R14,744 on garden equipment.

The municipality has again allocated R100,000 to each ward for this financial year. We will await your proposals on how this money should be used.

The municipality made available R18 million to be shared amongst all the wards in Buffalo City for use in development and upgrading projects. From this fund we bought chemical toilets, employed 150 people in a clean-up operation, bought 69 VIP toilets, and trained 10 youths in home-based care including HIV/Aids information. Expenditure for all these programmes amounted to R1,162,578.

We were also able to create temporary employment for people – cleaning open spaces, cutting grass, cleaning the CBD, clearing illegal dumps, cleaning cemeteries, constructing roads and learnerships. A total of 60 learners from this programme have since been absorbed into BCM.

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. But, because time is not on our side, I appeal to all of us to be brief and to the point in our discussions; debate vigorously but constructively. Let us support each other in trying to find viable and sustainable solutions to the challenges that we face. Together we can build a brighter and better Buffalo City.

I thank you.

N.C. Peter Executive Mayor, Buffalo City Municipality

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