Democracy should not end with Voting for Councillors
We made our crosses on the ballot papers in May this year and this process gave birth to a democratic council which we now have locally. Excellent!! We embraced democracy. Exercising our vote during local elections was not the end of our democratic civic duty, we still have another local structures to elect at our wards; Ward Committees.This is the structure that plays a crucial role in assisting Municipalities in providing efficient and effective service delivery to our communities. In fact, these structures called Ward Committees have an important role to play as a bridge between the Municipal council and the community; they primarily play a representative role. They serve in officially recognized and specialized participatory structures in the municipality. They monitor development and plan for and monitor implementation of ward based projects. So, you will agree with me that these are crucial structures without which the municipality cannot operate properly. They are the structures which are expected to create harmonious relationships between residents of a ward, ward councillor, municipality and community members.
Lephalale Municipality has kick started the process of developing these structures and once more we request your full participation like you did during May when the biggest – ever turn up to Local Government election was recorded ; a whooping more than 57%. Pieces of legislation governing Local Government are unequivocal when it comes to the importance of Public Participation through Ward Committees.
That is why they are placed in the Office of the Chairperson of the Council, the Speaker. And that is why Government Nationally tasked Deputy Minister of Co-operative Government and Traditional Affairs, Yanus Carrim to deal specifically with improving Public Participation through particular focus on refining the ward committee model. The same Deputy Minister Carrim said the following about ward committees:” Local Government is too important to be left up to Councillors and Municipal Officials only.
The role of ward committees cannot be over emphasized.
This municipality will keep you posted about the process of establishing ward committees in your ward. So watch this space. Or alternatively phone either
Francina Sithole or Emly Kekana at 014 762 1401 or 014 763 2193.
NAKAMPE MONYEPAO
COMMUNICATION OFFICER
Image: Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License by alancleaver_2000.