SERVICE DELIVERY (OR LACK OF IT) IN THE TSHWANE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL

By Cllr Jan van Zyl

The frustration of residents with the bad service they receive (also from Customer Service points) is well understood by Councillors representing the Democatic Alliance in the Tshwane Metropolitan Council. All these Councillors experience the very same frustration, and even more, because they have the opportunity to view the ineffectiveness of the governing party and the officials first hand. The hard work a cader did in the so-called struggle, does not make him or she a good official! It is just a "thank you" for services rendered, and the public must suffer becuase of that. The problem the DA in the Council has, is that we are not in a position to push our decisions through Council, and we cannot ensure that the remedies we think are there, are used and tested, simply because all our suggestions are shot down by the ANC.

We do not think they have the political will to improve the position, and I am afraid to say that the the officials who can still do the job, are so demoralized that they are also beinning to lose interest. The other officials, especially those in managerial positions, are mostly, redeployed cadres with not much experience, or qualifications, to ensure the proper working of a local authority. The delays in City Planning applications for example, are frustrating and unnecessary, although sometimes the applicants, and especially their advisors, submit applications not properly completed, which then mean that it cannot be considered in terms of the legislation concerned.

Next year it is municipal elections nationwide, and as far as the Tshwane Metro is concerned, the solution lies in the hands of the residents/voters. Do you know that at present, no less than 43% of Council seats are taken up by opposition parties, but only 48% of registered voters cast their votes in the 2006 election! Your vote can thus make a difference. If all the people register, and turn up to vote, there is a great possibility that the DA alone, or with the assistance of other opposition parties, can take over control of this municipality. And then we can start getting this city back on track again. Then we can ensure that efficient Councillors serve as Executive Mayor and on the Mayoral Committee, and we can ensure that officials do their job according to our policies. And we shall only appoint personnel on merit, and not to thank them for being good supporters! The recently appointed Executive Mayor seems to be a great improvement on the previous one, but that does not say much. It is not easy to improve on Dr Gwen Ramokgopa! One shall see if the talk gets followed up by deeds.

When you sit in the opposition, you want to cry because you can see the solutions, but your ideas never get approved, and tested in practise.

Please influence your neighbours, friends, business associates and family members, to register, and to vote next year. Then we can turn this ship around - not in a week or two, but in time. It is not coincidental that Cape Town is one of the best run cities in the world - it is because there is a party in charge interested in giving service to its community. Do you think it is coincidence that the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape Province, get clean audit reports from the Auditor-General, and in places such as Tshwane Metro Council, he does not even want to give an opinion!

Do not hestitate to contact the DA if there are specific things we might be able to help with, or if there are specific questions you would like answered. We are also available to meet with concerned residents, putting these facts to them, and pointing out how it can be solved. We have told some of our voters in the townships that problems such as the lack of service delivery, cannot be solved by toi-toi, or by burning tyres, but only by voting the inefficient ANC out of government in this city, and putiing in a party which can do what is necessary.