By Nangamso Mabindla
11 May 2005

THE enthusiastic response from the public towards its Integrated Development Plan has pleased the Buffalo City municipality. The City took its plan to the wards for comment last month.

After tabling its R1,8-billion draft budget the City held meetings across its 45 wards for residents to comment about their priority issues. Speaking about these gatherings, Mayor Sindisile Maclean said it was important that the public be taken on board when the City made its plans.

Residents of Tsholomnqa attend an IDP meeting

"We cannot have five-year plans on the direction of the City without involving the public we serve. We wanted to give people a chance to talk about services they felt should be priority in our budget," he said.

Some of the meetings were packed while others, especially in suburban areas, were poorly attended. "This was a great opportunity for our people to be part of government processes. I hope that in 2006 we will report good numbers in all the wards," said Maclean.

The City received comments on a range of issues, including calls for more extensive communication from the municipality and service delivery. An analysis of the comments showed that 18 percent related to community facilities and services, 15 percent to housing and land, and 13 percent to roads and transport.

Other issues contained in the draft report range from municipal accounts and rates to crime and tender procedures. The mayor said the IDP team would table a conclusive report to the mayoral committee and the IDP, Budget Policy and Performance Management System Strategic Committee meeting on 17 May.

"This is just an interim report, but as we get all the information from all the wards some of the numbers will change," he said. The mayor will make his State of the City address on Friday, 27 May.