By Nangamso Mabindla
6 May 2004

AN ENTHUSIASTIC response was received by the Buffalo City municipality last month after residents were invited to give their input in the Integrated Development Plan/Budget (IDP) review at various meetings held around the City.

The meetings, held in community halls in Mdantsane, East London, Breidbach in King William's Town and rural areas around Buffalo City, were designed to create awareness of municipal issues, and aimed to encourage participation from the public in local government decision-making.

The IDP, Budget Integration and Performance Management general manager Quinton Williams said the exercise had been a success. "It is amazing how well attended the meetings were. It was also interesting to know that people understood the IDP and Budget."

Executive Mayor Sindisile Maclean is to deliver his State-of-the-City and Budget address on 4 June.

Referring to the IDP report-back meetings, Williams said the communities had made valuable comments. "We were impressed by the enthusiasm people showed when matters close to their hearts were addressed, things like rates and why should they pay them to the municipality."

More than 170 people had attended each of the meetings in Ginsberg, Breidbach and King Williams' Town. In East London 510 people turned up at Gompo Hall, while in Mdantsane 222 arrived at the NU7 Hall and 539 at the Indoor Sports Centre.

"Other places around King and East London had over 200 people attending each meeting. That showed that people are more enlightened about what's happening in their municipality. They also are concerned about how the municipality works," Williams said.

Williams urged people to be involved whenever the municipality takes its IDP/Budget to the people. "That way, we can make decisions based on our knowledge of what the communities expect from us, thus creating a good relationship between the municipality and its people," he added.