THE new Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality Ward Committee gathered for the first time at the introductory ward committee workshop, held at the East London City Hall on 17 and 18 January.

More than 50 representatives from the City's 50 wards were present. The workshop was meant to prepare committee members for their roles for the next four years as advisers to ward councillors.

Facilitator Vukile Balura, who is a provincial executive committee member of the South African Local Government Association in Eastern Cape, began the two-day seminar by speaking about the structures and processes of local government. Most of what he discussed was taken from chapter seven of the South African Constitution.

"The main thrust of this gathering is to equip members to fully understand their roles and responsibilities as far as local government matters are concerned," he said.

Members needed to know how to derive mandates in order for them to represent their respective constituencies and account for the progress and programmes of municipalities, and the challenges municipalities faced. "Members must make a point that the needs and aspirations of people in their respective wards are taken into account."

He covered topics such as ward-based planning, the City's Integrated Development Plan, budgeting and key performance areas such as basic services, infrastructure services, local economic development, financial viability and the special development framework.

Balura stressed that members should leave the city hall knowing that to be a good adviser, they would have to communicate effectively with their communities and derive mandates or else residents may take to the streets.

"The reason why there are people protesting about service delivery is because we are not deriving mandates. As public representatives, we need to derive mandates," he said.

He was delighted that the attendees were grasping the information. "The way they raised questions and interacted is an indication of their understanding of the information they received."

There will be a follow-up workshop later in the year, which will be more detailed and accredited.

According to attendee Lilana Ndiki, a first-time adviser in Ward 16, which comprises Amalinda and Haven Hills, the workshop has been valuable in that she is learning what is expected of her. "We need to know what role we are supposed to be playing and how to channel information from communities to councillors," she said.

Ndiki's ward has had a number of problems lately, especially crime. She said that because space was underutilised in the ward, crime had been rampant. "There is a lot of crime in the area because of the bush. When a burglary takes place, the criminal runs into the bush and hides."

Patricia Williams, who sees to Cambridge West, also in Ward 16, said she found the workshop educational, motivational and insightful. "I worked for the municipality for eight years and never knew how the infrastructure worked, until now."

Williams already has plans in place to tackle the high levels of poverty and alcohol abuse in her area. She is looking to open a soup kitchen, a shelter for the homeless, and a support group for alcoholics. She also wants to start a clean-up operation to rid the area of litter and waste.

"Ward councillor Monwabisi Nicholson Mahodi is already looking to open an old age home for the underprivileged in Cambridge," she added.

Lwazi Apleni, the adviser for Ward 15, which covers Vincent and Cambridge, said he recently realised that in his area poverty had become a massive problem that needed to be addressed immediately. The realisation came when he visited Cambridge Location with ward councillor Dinesh Vallabh to assess the progress of the electrification project.

While there, Apleni noticed that residents were hostile towards the project. "Just as the project was about to start, the people began fighting. I realised the fighting was a result of hunger."

He said that although electrification was part of service delivery, people were more concerned about their aching stomachs. In such a case, the municipality should prioritise its services. "The initiatives that would get rid of poverty should be starting now," said Apleni.