ABOUT YOUR X… #LGEMakana2021
SmilingSouth invited ward candidates contesting the 2021 Local Government Elections in Makana Municipality to respond to three questions and provide their manifesto.
Parties/ entities, their abbreviations and links to their full manifestos (where applicable and available): African National Congress (ANC); African Transformation Movement (ATM); Azanian People’s Organisation (Azapo); Democratic Alliance (DA); Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF); Independent (IND); Makana Citizens Front (MCF); Makana Independent New Deal (MIND); Patriotic Alliance (PA); Vryheidsfront-Plus (VFP).
The questions:
1. What are the three most important issues for stakeholders based in the ward you hope to represent?
2. How do you plan to solve them using the mechanisms and platforms available to a councillor in local government?
3. How can stakeholders in this ward be sure that you will work in their interests for the next five years?
Candidates who haven’t responded are listed at the end. The order for each ward is alphabetical, according to surname.
WARD 1
READ RESPONSES FROM
Mzamo Booysen, EFF
Adrian February, MIND
Cary Clark, DA
Pikisile Zondani, AZAPO
RESPONSES NOT YET RECEIVED
Asanda Ngqina ATM
Phumelele Peter, ANC
WILL NOT BE RESPONDING
Deon Els, VFP
MZAMO BOOYSEN, EFF
1. (a) Transparency
(b) Accountability
(C) Proper flow of information from the stakeholders to the people.
(d) Co operation within stakeholders is the key component and remedy in 2 Societical matters engulfed our wards.
2. (a) Building good working relations and social cohesion through programmes and Community meetings.
(b) The councillor position is to consolidate presentation in the Council Chamber
3. Schedule meetings with stakeholders and community meeting with the the intentions to give people a chance to raise issues of their interest specially Job opportunities.
ADRIAN FEBRUARY, MIND
MIND has a general plan/manifesto for the whole of Makana and specific plans/manifestos for individual wards. Each of the individual ward plans/manifestos is consistent with MIND’s overall plan/manifesto.
1. What are the three most important issues for stakeholders based in the ward you hope to represent?
The issues affecting one ward are mostly the same issues affecting other wards but the biggest single problem of Makana is the dysfunctionality of the municipality in almost every aspect of its operations. That issue cuts across all wards and cannot be approached on a ward-by-ward basis hence MIND’s slogan: “Let’s fix Makana.”
WARDS 1, 13 & 14 are predominantly rural wards each with an urban component where most of the voters are concentrated, namely Ward 1 (Riebeeck-East; Hooggenoeg); Ward 13 (Vukani); Ward 14 (Alicedale). MIND’s candidates, ADRIAN FEBRUARY (Ward 1) and ANDREW KIRK (Wards 13&14) have determined the following focus areas: 1. Rural safety and security (SAPS response times, cameras & crime prevention, stock theft & poaching); Environment (waste management, preservation of protected areas, road reserves & road maintenance); Infrastructure & amenities (access to water, health care & social work, electricity/alternative energy). Job creation is another priority identified by the candidates. The priorities for the urban areas within Wards 1, 13 & 14 are they same as those identified for the other urban wards in Makana.
WARD 5 (CHRIS BOWER), 7 (XOLANI NGOYIYA) & 10 (SIGIDLA NDUMO) – including the areas of Hooggenoeg in Ward 1; Vukani in Ward 13 and Alicedale in Ward 14 – are all situated in the eastern part of Grahamstown/Makhanda where the conditions are the most atrocious. Matters which will receive the most urgent attention are: a reliable water supply to all areas; the condition of streets; regular refuse removal and proper waste management; recreation & sporting facilities. Apart from these specifics, MIND will spearhead a masterplan with realistic, achievable and sustainable objectives to drastically improve township living conditions.
2. How do you plan to solve them using the mechanisms and platforms available to a councillor in local government?
Our municipality is effectively broken and it is questionable whether any of the mechanisms which ought to be available to councillors are presently available & working. That is why MIND’s first priority is to fix the municipality itself with a total overhaul of its operations and a staffing review to ensure competence and productivity.
3. How can stakeholders in this ward be sure that you will work in their interests for the next five years?
Each MIND candidate has a track-record of voluntary service to the community. They are also standing in their personal capacity and are directly accountable to you the voter. That is your best guarantee that they will do the job you have elected them to do.
CARY CLARK, DA
Ward 1 and Ward 8 DA Candidate
The 3 most pressing issues for ward 1 and 8 are as follows:
* A reliable water supply in all areas
* Working infrastructure which include roads, lights, sewerage and rubbish collection and clean ups
* Employment
To make sure we have stable supply of water in ward 1 I will fight to get ALL the boreholes operational in Riebeeck East, in the rural and indigent areas I will push to have more sustainable boreholes drilled and rainwater harvesting for ALL RDP/indigent dwellings along with a new By Law to ensure that all new builds will have rain water harvesting facilities as part of the building process and to investigate the possibility of rebates for people wanting to install rain water harvesting tanks.
* I would like to see money budgeted for and ringfenced for infrastructure maintenance and to ensure that our SCM processes are dealt with far more efficiently and expediently through proper planning, that stock items needed for proper and quick maintenance is kept on hand and properly check and monitored to ensure speedy delivery of services. I would like to see maintenance schedules published so that the community are aware of exactly where and when it will be taking place so that they can hold the Municipality accountable. I will put through a motion to have a dedicated Customer Care line established which is properly monitored with reference numbers to enable people to track their complaints with maximum 72 hours turnaround but less for water and sewerage. I would like to see an immediate cleanup of all sewerage spills especially where it contaminates the rivers and will take this up with the Green Scorpions as well as well as escalating it to out Shadow Minister of Environmental Affairs for urgent intervention. I will put through a motion to tag all livestock including donkeys and push to establish a pound facility which is guarded. Work on an aggressive education drive against littering and supply sufficient black bags to all indigent households. I would put through a motion to establish a unit with the Traffic Dept which would be able to enforce our By Laws and fine those who do not comply. More staff should be trained for this unit, sourcing these people internally.
* I would like to see far more investment in our youth through skills training and partnerships with Private companies (internships) and Educational institutions like Rhodes as well as skills training for trades and then to give support for entrepreneurs wanting to start their own businesses . Through LED and private/public partnerships encourage investment in Makana to drive economic growth and employment. Working with Businesses and Rhodes to establish a Forum to brainstorm ideas to encourage growth and Tourism in the area.
3. How can stakeholders in this ward be sure that you will work in their interests for the next five years?
I have been a councillor in ward 1 for the past 5 years and in that time have managed to get the WTW in Riebeeck East refurbished, the roads graded on a number of occasions after applying pressure to the Minister of Transport, succeeded in having additional boreholes drilled in Riebeeck East to ensure that we do not run dry in the drought, have had a satellite Fire Station installed, raised issues to the Minister of Police,assisted a soup kitchen in Hooggenoeg, run a garden competition for 4 years which helped to install 15 jojos, 40 bins and helped people to sustain their families. I have put through numerous motions to council and portfolio, dealt with hundreds of complaints with a relatively high success rate, highlighted numerous issues to the Legislature and media, successfully mediated on behalf of our local school with the SGB for teachers, assisted with a case against the Municipality for negligence where a child died and another is brain damaged as a result of playground equipment left broken, assisted our local soccer team to acquire kit, worked with a community member to assist in opening a case of theft of gas bottles within the Municipality and have done numerous oversight visits as well attended almost all scheduled meetings and participated fully. At all times I have reported back to the community I represent and will do the same for any ward where I would be voted in as a ward councillor. I am available to assist night and day. My track record and testimonials can attest to my dedication.
PIKISILE ERIC ZONDANI, AZAPO
To have safe and clean communities
• Municipality to provide clean water services including ways of water conservation strategies healthy environment, solid waste removal, sewerage leakages tarring of roads and streets and general maintenance of existing resources.
• Provide sports and recreation facilities for our children – improve the existing sporting and recreation facilities through government support programs and creating private and public partnership in providing sports and recreation facilities backlogs.
• Support small business and informal sector – provide business training and skills development in various business according to their needs and interests. To encourage them to start new business ventures where there are non-existence and encourage them to register their business / co-operatives.
ASANDA NGQINA, ATM
No response yet
PHUMELELE PETER, ANC
No response yet
DEON ELS, VFP
Deon Els has indicated he will not be responding.
SmilingSouth 
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