Polokwane communities elect their own ward committees

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Polokwane - Polokwane city is in the process of electing new ward committees to improve communication with its citizens.

Polokwane municipal spokeswoman Noko Lebea said 12 of the municipality's 38 wards had already nominated their ward committee members.

"Twelve wards have already nominated their ward committee members who will represent them on 12 ward committee desks that will be established shortly," said Lebea.

She said the desks would address issues such as housing, sports, art and culture, community safety, roads, water, sanitation and environment and waste management.

Committee members will help the municipality prepare and update community profiles and make recommendations on matters affecting their communities, said Lebea.

She said ward councillors would also use the committees to give communities feedback after council meetings. The election of the new committees is expected to be finalised by August 14.

Meanwhile, Polokwane mayor Freddy Greaver is updating the city's Integrated Development Plan (IDP) and budget document based on the needs of individual wards.

He said the ward-based budgeting system would ensure that each of the city's 38 wards would get projects prioritised according to their specific needs.

He explained that, in the past, projects were budgeted according to municipal clusters, not wards.

He said the new approach had been instigated by citizens.

"Communities complained that although the municipality was conducting IDP and budget meetings, their needs were neglected in the process," said Greaver.