DA Champions for Ward Committees Meetings take place at times most convenient to the public

by Cllr Thavha Maifala-Masebe — DA Spokesperson: Public Participation and Petitions

Date: 17 March 2023

Release: Immediate

Type: Media Statement

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) is calling on the Speaker of Council, Cllr Nthabiseng Tshivenga to ensure that ward committees meet on a regular basis.

On the 14 March 2023, the DA wrote to the Speaker of Council to intervene in the current delay in ward committee meetings. This follows the failure of the Chairperson for Public Participation and Petitions Standing Committee, Cllr Kgopelo Hollo, to respond to a request from the DA to enable ward committee meetings to take place at a time most convenient for the public and members of the ward committee.

Ward coordinators play a critical role in the administrative functioning of ward committees. Following a decision by the Council Secretary prevented ward coordinators from receiving payment for overtime work, ward coordinators no longer worked beyond the hours as stipulated in their employment contracts. This has had a significant impact on the work of ward committees more especially where the public participation is concerned. Ward committee meetings either did not take place because of members not being available during working hours or quorum would not be reached in meetings due to the unavailability of members during certain times of the day.

The Constitution of The Republic of South Africa, Section 152 (e), stipulates that one of the objects of Local Government is ‘to encourage the involvement of communities and community organisations in the matters of Local Government’. This is further defined in Section 72(3) of the Municipal Structures Act, 117 of 1998 which states, “The object of a ward committee is to enhance participatory democracy in local government.” The DA therefore believes that this decision is irrational and that it needs to be reconsidered as it is direct contrast to law and impedes the involvement and participation of communities in local government.

Prior to writing to the Speaker, the DA engaged with officials from the Community Participation department to find alternative solutions for ward committee meetings to occur outside contracted working hours while still ensuring that the City meets its requirements per its cost-containment measures. These engagements proved fruitless, thus requiring intervention at the level of the Speaker of Council.

The DA also notes that the Council Secretary has encouraged ward coordinators to facilitate ward committee meetings during working hours and where meetings were held after hours, employees would be reimbursed with time off. Ward coordinators have however not accepted this condition. While we are aware of the financial position of the City, the DA believes that more can be done to ensure effective public participation in the city. Instead of cancelling overtime work outright, the DA proposes that better financial controls be put in place to guard against the abuse of overtime in the department.

The DA, therefore, implores the Speaker of Council to intervene to ensure that the ward coordinators are paid overtime to enable them to perform their administrative support role in ward committee meetings. Public participation is important for ensuring representativeness and diversity in government decision-making and processes. It is important for upholding the principles of openness, transparency, and accountability as enshrined in our Constitutional democracy. The DA therefore firmly believes in the inclusion and participation of residents in the matters of local government as it enables all community members to meaningfully influence the decisions that affect their lives. Only through effective public participation can we put the needs of residents at the centre of development.

Public participation is central to the work of the Multi-Party Government in Ekurhuleni. Only through active and representative public participation processes will we be able to meet our commitment to getting “back to basics” in service delivery.

Cllr Thavha Maifala-Masebe

DA Spokesperson: Public Participation and Petitions

0615404973