Makana citizens doing it for themselves
Activists raise funds, do all the municipality’s work
A DYNAMIC little public benefit organisation is giving tired and tatty Grahamstown a much-needed facelift ahead of the National Arts Festival.
Makana Revive (MR), a community-funded initiative spearheaded by local businessman Ron Weissenberg, has morphed from a simple initiative aimed at improving security in the CBD to one that is doing almost everything a broke and deficient local government does not.
The city, which faces enormous infrastructure and management challenges, has deteriorated sharply over the past two years with crumbling road, sanitation, water and electrical infrastructure.
In the run-up to the festival, MR raised close to R500 000 at a massive charity ball.
Verges are being mowed, potholes filled, streetlights repaired and road signs revamped – and almost none of it by Makana municipality.
MR has even paid for the paint to refurbish faded road markings and pedestrian crossings.
Weissenberg says MR has evolved into a means to provide privatised community-based solutions to fill the massive service delivery gaps of the failed municipality.
Going forward, he says the only thing restricting what the organisation can do will be funding.
It has now appealed to residents in the city to donate all they can on a monthly basis to MR so that it can continue the good work it does.
However, social accountability monitoring organisation Public Service Accountability Monitor warns that while MR’s efforts are commendable and admirable, it should tread a fine line when filling in for local government failings.
“People are rightly concerned with where the city is headed and how that affects the trajectory of their businesses and general wellbeing,” said PSAM director Jay Kruuse.
“But all such initiatives need to walk a careful line.
“It is good to contribute towards the building of the city.
“But it is also necessary to hold to account those duty-bearers who are legally and constitutionally obliged to maintain standards and deliver services.
“There should be that clear line between the responsibility of government and that of active citizens.”
Weissenberg maintains that national, provincial and local government structures are doing little to constructively improve the situation and that the citizens have no option but to resort to self-help.
“Ideally we would like to have a situation where organisations like Makana Revive do not have to exist because the municipality is doing its job. But that is not what is happening.”
Makana municipality had not commented by print deadline yesterday.
The National Arts Festival runs from June 28 to July 8.