Call for a united front

The following report was published in the Our Times of 27 August 2010:

The Jeffreys Bay Ratepayers Association (JBRPA) has appealed to the residents of Jeffreys Bay to join them. They say residents should form a united front to take action against maladministration and looming financial chaos.

Dr Barry Vosloo

JBRPA Vision

Dr. Barry Vosloo, Chairman of the JBRPA, says it is their overall vision to keep an eye on municipal affairs as an independent organisation. Their goals include the following: to be aware of municipal actions; to strive for the kind of municipal service delivery to which residents are entitled under the Constitution; to inform residents of the activities of the Association on a continuous basis; to consult widely and to encourage residents to identify with the JBRPA. Vosloo says membership is growing daily but they are in the process of developing a strategy to increase membership.

Identity still developing

Vosloo says the JBRPA is in the throes of defining its corporate identity and its Constitution needs to be fleshed out in a number of areas. “The Management Committee recently committed to interaction with the Kouga Municipality that is consistent with time-honoured negotiating principles. In fact, effective negotiation is characterized by the parties working together to find a solution. We are acutely aware that the attitude that one takes in negotiation sets the tone for the interaction. For example, if one is confrontational, one will have a fight on one’s hands!” he added. He admits that more aggressive measures should be taken, with the approval of members, in the event of negotiations with the Kouga Municipality breaking down. However, they have resolved not to resort to a rates boycott at this stage.

Management Committee

The Management Committee is made up of volunteers. They are

• Dr. Barry Vosloo (chairman), 
• Dennis Richmond, (vice-chairman),
• Japie Bosch (secretary/blogmaster), 
• Pollie Marx (town planning), 
• Johan Thiart (IDP and municipal budget) and 
• Henda Thiart. 

Their immediate need is to co-opt a number of qualified and knowledgeable residents onto the management committee. They have thus far identified three areas of expertise that would add value to the association's service to the community. They are engineering, law, and tourism/environment. Dr. Vosloo appealed to residents to contact him should they want to contribute or offer their assistance.

General Meeting

A general meeting of the JBRPA will be held at 18:30 on 29 September 2010 at the Jeffreys Bay Tennis Club. The purpose of the meeting is to interact with members with regard to the activities of the management mommittee since the AGM in February and to obtain their support for the road ahead. One of the issues that will be tabled is whether all residents in the geographical area should automatically qualify as members of the JPRPA. Vosloo emphasised that the JBRPA is not aligned with any political party. Nor are they concerned with the political affiliation of its members.

Website active

They invite residents to contribute actively on their website (www.jbayratepayers.com). Apart from a variety of regular postings dealing with the activities of the JBRPA, the blog also includes an overview of the history of Jeffreys Bay. Membership of the JBRPA is R40 per annum. Membership fees are solely used to pay for administration expenses. You can become a member by phoning Johan Thiart 042/296-1976 or e-mail him at jbvanjb@gmail.com.

7 ure vir 'n 30 minute-takie

Anoniem het die volgende in "Sê u Sê" op hierdie blog geskryf:

Vir bykans twee jaar wik en weeg ek om die situasie wat ek hieronder gaan beskryf aan die "groot klok" te hang.

Hier in Kabeljous is twee openbare toiletgeboue wat baie verouderd en in 'n werklike vieslike stadium van verval is.

Albei toilette se vloeroppervlakte is ongeveer 12 vierkante meter elk. Die twee toilette word 7 dae per week deur 'n munisipale "werker" (een "werker" elk per toilet) skoongemaak. Die skoonmaaktakie kan maksimum 30 minute se produktiwiteit verg.

Die "werkers" word daagliks om ongeveer 08:30 daar afgelaai en smiddae om 15:30 weer opgelaai. Die toilette word om 15:30 gesluit.

Die vraag wat onstaan en wat my bloed laat kook is "wat doen die "werker" die res van die dag"?

Wel, sit in die son, dit is wat waargeneem is en wat gebeur.

Kan ons as belastingbetalers toelaat dat hierdie toedrag van sake so aangaan en wat kan ons daaraan doen?

Ek is seker dat die situasie nie uniek aan Kabeljous is nie,maar dat dit die tendens in die res van die Kouga is.

Komaan mense, kom ons kry die Kouga Munisipaliteit voor stok want dit is immers ons wat vir die sonsitters betaal!

• Die vereniging sal dié berig na die munisipale bestuurder verwys vir sy reaksie.

Wind farm delay

Regulatory issues could delay the wind farm initiative near Jeffrey’s Bay.

The project, once connected to the electricity grid, can power about 200 000 homes, says Mainstream Renewable SA.

The company, a joint venture between Irish company Mainstream Renewable Power and South African-based Genesis Eco-Energy, is developing the wind farm. It is expected to be ready in 2013. Read the full report in Business Day by clicking HERE.

Gerrie Botes sterf

Gerrie Botes

Die Jeffreysbaai-belastingbetalersvereniging betreur die afsterwe van Gerrie Botes, ‘n voormalige sekretaris.

Gerrie is gister met ‘n koeëlwond dood in sy motorhuis gevind. Geen misdaad word vermoed nie.

Sowat twee maande gelede het Gerrie as sekretaris bedank om hom in die aktiewe politiek te vestig. Kort daarna het die vereniging die volgende brief aan hom geskryf:

"Beste Gerrie

Die bestuur van die belastingbetalersvereniging het op 21 Julie 2010 by sy maandvergadering met spyt van jou bedanking kennis geneem.

Terselfdertyd het die bestuur sy dank aan jou uitgespreek vir jou diens as ‘n lid en as sekretaris. In die besonder word jy bedank dat die vereniging deurentyd op jou finansiële kundigheid kon staatmaak. Daarsonder sou Jeffreysbaai en die Kouga Munisipaliteit, letterlik en figuurlik, armer gewees het. Jy het voorwaar ‘n standaard aan die vereniging voorgehou wat nie maklik geëwenaar sal word nie.

Die bestuur wens jou die beste toe vir die toekoms. Mag jou politieke kandidatuur suksesvol wees en so ook jou voornemende politieke loopbaan.

Wees verseker dat jy altyd as ‘n vriend van die vereniging geag sal word."

• Die vereniging simpatiseer met sy familie.

Is a municipal shake-up on its way?

It was reported on Sunday that President Jacob Zuma wants to stop cadres from holding senior municipal management jobs. The intention is to amend the Municipal Systems Act to prevent it.

Amendments to the Act were contained in a bill submitted to Parliament by Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Sicelo Shiceka.

Read the full report by clicking HERE.

Give credit where credit is due

Barry Vosloo, chairperson

While fair-minded people will identify with the frustration felt by local residents due to the apparent lack of quality service delivery by the municipality, one must concede that there have been a number of positive developments lately that deserve at least some recognition on our part.

Before mentioning those issues deserving of approval, I must share with readers my own observations about dr. Eddie Rankwana, the Municipal Manager – for what they are worth. I have found him to be an approachable and well-spoken man who is fighting odds that most of us cannot even imagine. He has to function in a highly politicised environment where his officials are mostly incompetent, corrupt or both. Do you know that top officials are virtually without exception political functionaries of the ruling party? He, therefore, has little choice but to perform a never-ending egg-dance. One of his main crutches is legislation, which he seems to adhere to religiously. I can understand that, because not even a politician will dare to fly in the face of the law.

En waarvoor verdien die munisipaliteit lof?

• Eerstens is me. Carla Burger as risiko- en voldoeningsbestuurder by die Kouga Munisipaliteit aangestel. Sy het voorheen by ‘n private finanasiële raadgewersmaatskappy en ‘n kort rukkie by die kantoor van die ouditeur-generaal gewerk. Sy moet toesien dat alle munisipale finansiële prosedures aan wetlike voorskrifte voldoen.

• Tweedens: die aanvaarding van ‘n organisasie- en metode-studie deur die Ontwikkelingsbank van Suid-Afrika. Hierdie studie plaas organisatoriese aspekte onder die vergrootglas en maak dan aanbevelings ten opsigte van die maniere waarvolgens die munisipaliteit sy administrasie kan verbeter.

• Derdens het die munisipale bestuurder by minstens drie geleenthede uitnodigings aan ons en ander soortgelyke verenigings in die Kouga gerig om oor enige saak met hom in gesprek te tree.

Carlien Burger moet finansiële risiko's elimineer

Sy is slim, sy het ‘n passie vir haar werk, vir haar is iets óf reg óf verkeerd en boonop is sy iets vir die oog. Haar naam is Carlien Burger (links), die risiko- en voldoeningsbestuurder (risk and compliance) by die Kouga-munisipaliteit.

Carlien is sewe maande gelede in dié pos aangestel. Haar werk, in ‘n neutedop, behels

• die identifisering van finansiële risiko’s in die munisipaliteit en
• toesig dat voldoen word aan maatreëls om die risiko’s te elimineer.

Só gaan sy maak

Een van haar eerste take was om ‘n beleid oor haar pos saam te stel. Dit sluit in die skepping van ‘n databasis van plekke waar finansiële sake riskant bedryf word. Die vertrekpunt hiermee was om te leer uit die verlede. In dié opsig, vertel Carlien, het veral die finansiële afdeling, goeie samewerking gegee.

Die volgende stap wat nou wag is dat dié databasis deur senior amptenare en politici van nader bekyk en desnoods verfyn moet word. Hierop volg die daarstelling van nuwe maatreëls om hierdie risiko’s tot die minimum te beperk. Voorts sal dit haar taak wees om toe te sien dat amptenare en politici aan dié maatreëls voldoen.

'n Skerper fokus

Sy sal deurentyd die databasis en nuwe maatreëls moet aanpas.

Dis ‘n stywe opdrag. Sy sien dit as ‘n groot uitdaging vir haarself en vir die munisipaliteit. “Dié pos hou verband met die regering se anti-bedrog en -korrupsieveldtog”, sê sy. “Die fokus hierop het veral uit die kantoor van die ouditeur-generaal skerper geword.”

Warm-telefoonlyne

Een van die moontlikhede wat sy voorsien, is die skepping van anonieme “warm”-telefoonlyne (“hotlines”) waardeur persone vermeende bedrog of korrupsie kan aanmeld.

Carlien is ook by die munisipaliteit se ouditproses betrokke. In die afgelope paar maande het sy reeds verskeie sake wat verkeerd geloop het, reggestel.

Personeel

Sy is regstreeks aan die munisipale bestuurder, dr Eddie Rankwana, verantwoordelik. Tot nou is sy beïndruk met die samewerking wat sy van hom en senior amptenare gekry het.

Carlien het ‘n personeel van drie persone – een risiko-amptenaar en twee ander wat op ‘n kontrakgrondslag aangestel is.

Agtergrond

Sy het ‘n B.Com(Hons) in Rekeningkunde. Vroeër het sy vir vier jaar by ‘n private ouditeursmaatskappy, Grant Thornton, in Port Elizabeth gewerk waar sy haar klerkskap as ‘n geoktrooieerde rekenmeester voltooi het en ‘n jaar as ouditbestuurder aangebly het. Voordat sy by die munisipaliteit aangesluit het, was sy ses maande in diens van die kantoor van die ouditeur-generaal in Port Elizabeth.

Waar staan ons vandag?

 Barry Vosloo, voorsitter

Die Jeffreysbaai-belastingbetalersvereniging beywer hom daarvoor om op ‘n nie-politieke grondslag as bewaker oor die munisipale sake in sy geografiese gebied op te tree.

As sodanig bemoei hy hom met die negatiewe aspekte van munisipale dienslewering, maar is ook bereid om die duiwel te gee wat hom toekom.

Die belangrikste interne vraagstukke waarmee die vereniging hom tans bemoei is

• om sy grondwet te wysig;
• om sy ledetal uit te brei;
• om maatreëls te tref ten einde sy kommunikasie met die belastingbetalers in sy geografiese gebied te verbeter en 
• om nouer samewerking met die wykskomitees van Wyk 3, Wyk 8 en Wyk 11 te probeer bewerkstellig.

Aangesien die wysigings aan die grondwet nog nie afgehandel is nie, sou dit voortydig wees om in hierdie stadium iets daaroor te sê.

Ons het ‘n werkskomitee aangewys om die kwessie van lidmaatskap en die verhoging van ons ledetal onder die loep te neem. Hy het eweneens nog nie sy taak afgehandel nie, dus verkies ek om verder niks daaroor te sê nie.

Ons bestuur het reeds taamlik ver gevorder om kommunikasie met die belastingbetalers in ons geografiese gebied te verbeter. Ons het ‘n blog aangelê – www.jbayratepayers.com. Deur middel van die blog gee ons aan ons lede en ander belangstellendes terugvoering oor die aktiwiteite van die vereniging. Die blog sal eersdaags geadverteer word deur middel van ‘n vlugskrif wat in elke posbus in Jeffreysbaai- en Noorsekloof-poskantoor geplaas sal word. Ons hoop dat ons sodoende die leserstal sal uitbrei. Die blogmeester is ‘n oud-joernalis, Japie Bosch. Hy het uitgebreide ervaring in sy veld, onder meer as munisipale en parlementêre verslaggewer by die destydse Die Vaderland.

Die vierde mikpunt is om een of ander vorm van samewerking met die wykskomitees van Wyk 3, Wyk 8 en Wyk 11 te beding sodat daar oor ‘n breër front druk op die munisipaliteit uitgeoefen kan word.

Die vereniging hou op 29 September 2010 'n algemene vergadering.  Volledige inligting hieroor sal binnekort bekendgemaak word.

It was not a "clean report"

Japie Bosch

Kouga municipality had nothing to brag about earlier this year when it celebrated a “clean report” from the office of the auditor-general.

There is no such thing as a “clean” report”, says Mr Christo van Dyk, senior manager of the office of the auditor-general in Port Elizabeth. It was an “unqualified report”.

• An unqualified report of the auditor-general means that the financial statements (of a municipality) are a fair reflection of transactions done in a particular year – disclosing authorized and unauthorized expenditure, Mr Van Dyk explained.

He was speaking at a public meeting of the municipality in Humansdorp on Thursday, 29 July 2010. The meeting was held to discuss the annual report of the Kouga municipality for 2008/2009.

This is in stark contrast to reports by Kouga councilors and the local press report a few weeks ago that the municipality received a “clean” report from the auditor-general.

Mr Van Dyk made the following clear: “An unqualified report does not mean a clean report. There is no such thing as a clean report. A clean report is a blank piece of paper.”

Mr Van Dyk explained how his team works. When investigating the finances of an organisation like a municipality the audit team scrutinises the financial statements and other documentation of that municipality on a sample basis. In the process they would advise the municipal officials responsible for those financial statements to amend them to reflect what happened to all the monies of the municipality.

Once that is done and the office of the auditor-general is satisfied that the statements are a fair reflection of where the monies went to it will declare the financial statements “unqualified”. It will include sections such as:

• unauthorized,
• irregular and 
• fruitless and wasteful expenditure.

(Read a previous report "Shocking negligence and a waste of money" by clicking HERE.)

The municipality, thus, cannot claim or imply that all income was well spent. The auditor-general’s report clearly commented on numerous issues where things went wrong, involving millions of rands. The financial statements also reflects it.

A qualified report means that the auditors were not satisfied with what the financial statements reflect.

• One may, however, compliment the finance officials of Kouga that they co-operated with the office of auditor-general in order to submit a set of financial statements that complied to the standards laid down.