2
ELGIN Grabouwer
Community
26 September 2014
IN GESPREK … vlnr Rdl. Mlulami Tshaka, onder-burgemeester en wyksraadslid vir wyk Wyk13 in Grabouw; Mnr Stan Wallace, munisipale bestuurder van
Theewaterskloof munisipaliteit; Raadsheer Chris Punt, uitvoerende burgemeester van die Theewaterskloof munisipaliteit, Mnr Bonginkosi Madikizela,
Wes-Kaap provinsiale minister van nedersettings; Mev Maurencia Gillion, LPP Wes-Kaap; Mnr John Michels, voorsitter van Grabouw se Burgerlike
Vereniging; Mev Margaret le Roux, sekretaresse van Grabouw se Burgerlike Vereniging en Mnr. Lubabalo Madizeni.
JOINT STATEMENT…
ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM…
(Continued from page 1)
(Continued from page 1)
held on Friday, 19 September 2014 between Mr Bonginkosi Madikizela the
Western Cape Minister of Human Settlements, the Grabouw Civic Organisation, the Grabouw Taxi Association and TheewaterskloofMunicipality, to
consider the matters listed in memorandums recently handed to the Municipality and responded to in a memorandum of the Municipal Manager.
We are relieved and happy to report that such a meeting took place in a
positive and constructive spirit and the fact that the agreement could be
reached on issues within a matter of four and a half hours is proof of the
collective good will which was shown by all parties at the meeting.
It was recognised that the chaos which followed the protest march on
Monday 15 September 2014 left no winners and had a devastating impact on
the reputation of Grabouw, the local economy and the lives of ordinary people and that we all have to take responsibility in preventing this from ever
happening again. The excellent outcome to Friday’s meeting encouraged us
to immediately proceed with the establishment of a Forum which can serve
as a Dispute Prevention and Resolution mechanism. Such a Forum should
have representation of all key stakeholders of the broader Grabouw Community like the Taxi Association,the Business Sector, Organised Agriculture,
Churches, etc. Although a Terms of Reference for such a forum still needs to
be drafted and agreed upon, the intention is for such a forum to serve as a
mechanism to which any component of the community can refer a matter
which may result in a dispute with another component of the community.
Service delivery dissatisfaction can accordingly in future be referred to
such a forum for consideration and resolution in the first instance and without having to resort to drastic steps like for example protest action. The Municipality can also, for example, refer issues like illegal occupation of land,
non-payment, vandalism, etc. to such a forum before having to resort to
drastic steps like court action, evictions, service cuts, or containment, etc.
This forum can eventually become an important strategic consultative forum
where issues like the future growth and development of Grabouw can be
consulted on, considered and planned. In the process we will however continue to respect existing processes and structure like the IDP and the Ward
Committee system.
The Municipal Manager has been tasked to immediately proceed in setting
up a meeting with all key stakeholders within the Grabouw community to
consider the way forward in establishing such a for um.
In addition to the agreements reached in respect of many very specific
matters and contained in the attached document, it was also agreed that the
time has come to have a summit in addressing the human settlement needs
and challenges faced by the broader Theewaterskloof Community and its
Municipality. Again, all relevant stakeholders should be invited to participate in such a summit and will hopefully be facilitated by the Provincial
Department of Human Settlements.
The issues addressed during the meeting and in respect of which agreement was reached are set out in the attached document. We will not at this
point deal with each of such issues specifically however we will allow you
15 minutes to study such a document where after we will be happy to take
questions.
As the two main parties to this agreement we can with confidence assure
the world out there, and more specifically the people of Grabouw, and those
with an interest in Grabouw, that the community of Grabouw and the Theewaterskloof Municipality is ready to take hands in building a better and
prosperous Grabouw where all of its people will be happy to live, work, and
play. Thank you very much.
ment on Monday a forum was to be
established to serve as a dispute prevention and resolution mechanism.
The statement was signed by TWK
mayor Chris Punt and GCO chairman John Michels. Michels was one
of the main organisers of the protest
march that spiralled into full-blown
violence last week.
The statement follows a meeting
attended by more than 50 people
representing the municipality, the
protesters, police, community organisations and the Grabouw Taxi Association. The meeting, held at the
Grabouw Police Station last Friday,
lasted more than four hours.
It was followed by Monday’s
meeting at the Grabouw Municipal
Offices in Pineview to agree to the
joint statement.
GCO committee member and ANC
supporter Zwai Bhangazana said he
was not totally satisfied with the
outcome of the meetings.
He said the people who protested
last week were tired of all the forums
being created. “This is going to be
yet another one,” he said.
He said what the people wanted to
see now is action at grass roots level.
“We want to see the roads repaired,
the electricity supplied and the houses being built,” Bhangazana said on
Monday after the joint TWK and
GCO statement was released.
Bhangazana was the last person to
address a crowd of more than 1 000
rioters last Thursday before they
dispersed. He played an important
role in restoring calm. He was also
one of the most vocal and angry
representatives at the meeting last
Friday.
According to the statement it was
recognised that the chaos last week
“left a devastating impact on the
reputation of Grabouw, the local
economy and the lives of ordinary
people”.
“The excellent outcome to Friday’s
meeting encouraged us to immediately proceed with the establishment
of a forum for dispute prevention and
dispute resolution,” the statement
said.
“Such a forum should have representation of the broader Grabouw
community such as the taxi association, the business sector, organised
agriculture and the churches,” according to the statement.
Grievances listed in the protesters’
memorandum handed to the municipality last week were all listed in an
addendum to the statement with
reaction to each one. It included
proposed action steps as well.
Margaret le Roux, GCO secretary,
said she was satisfied with the outcome. “At least there will now be
opportunities where we can make the
municipality listen to us,” she said.
However, she said there was a
second memorandum that has not yet
been answered.
“Our people will not be satisfied
until all those grievances are also
addressed and they see the necessary
results,” le Roux said.
The GCO organised a rally at the
Pineview Park Sport Field on Monday evening. “The aim was to give
our supporters and the community
feedback,” Le Roux said. Church and
other community leaders, union representatives and school principals
were invited.
Some 2 000 people attended the
feedback rally.
Contact us/Kontak ons
[email protected]
082 445 50950
084 517 7730