The town with its head in the sand
Oudtshoorn, home of ostriches and the Cango Caves, falls into decline amid a political stalemate
HEIN Gerstner, the manager of the Cango Caves in Oudtshoorn, saw red when he was told he had to submit a written motivation as to why he needed toilet paper for the famous tourist attraction.
He is one of many residents fed up with the lack of services in the town, but mostly he wants to know where the R21-million in the Cango Caves Investment Fund has gone.
“The day I really became angry was when I looked at a statement from the investment account and saw there was only R139 in it,” he said.
“Nearly R21-million has disappeared from the fund since it was linked to the municipality’s accounts two years ago.”
With debt of about R165-million and a R500-million budget still not passed, the capital of South Africa’s ostrich industry has been in steady decline for two years following a stalemate between the two coalitions vying for power — one led by the DA, the other by the ANC.
There should have been a change of guard in August 2013 after the ANC-led coalition lost its majority following a by-election. But the ANC coalition’s Speaker, John Stoffels, and mayor Gordon April were accused of refusing to cede power.
However, the DA gained control of the municipality on Friday, when a vote of no confidence was passed against April and his deputy.
In his report for 2013-14, the auditor-general indicated a total collapse of the administration.
The municipality is now under administration by the provincial treasury because it failed to pass a budget for 2015-16.
Local businessman Dougie Bester said: “This used to be one of the most outstanding, cleanest towns in the southern Cape, Klein Karoo district. These days, people are shocked at the state of it.
“The R328 that runs past my business [Cango Ostrich Show Farm] is one of the town’s major roads,” but no maintenance work had been done on it for “about 25 years”.
“Instead, the municipality built a 5km concrete cycle lane from town to the start of the Swartberg Pass.” Bester said this was a “complete waste of money, as the lane is mostly unusable because it is constantly being covered with thorns and loose stones from the R328”.
Two cyclists using the lane agreed, saying they had mountain bikes, but “the locals refuse to use it as they constantly have to fix punctures”.
Bester said foreign tourists still flocked to Oudtshoorn. “But if we don’t start paying our bills and run out of electricity and water, they will stop coming. This will be the death of this town.”
A drive around Oudtshoorn reveals huge potholes in some roads and overflowing rubbish bins in some areas. Zoning ap- plications and building plans gather dust in municipal offices.
Last month, a man in the council’s public gallery tried to stab DA caucus leader Wessie van der Westhuizen. “It’s a sad day when politicians turn to gangsters to fight their battles,” Van der Westhuizen said. “I don’t feel safe any more.”
Respected community leader Jack Mbo, 65, said the municipality had “gone to the dogs”.
“Look at the state of our once proud town. Look at how dirty it is,” said the veteran ANC member. “Our councillors just fight and argue, and the whole community suffers. Does it really matter which political party runs the town? As long as they do a proper job.
Nearly R21-million has disappeared from the Cango Caves fund
“Oudtshoorn should be one of the richest municipalities in this district . . . Everyone suffers, except for these stubborn councillors who refuse to leave because they draw a fat salary every month.”
Following the DA-coalition’s victory on Friday, the party’s Western Cape leader, Patricia de Lille, said: “The people of Oudtshoorn have suffered for far too long under poor ANC governance, wasteful expenditure and corruption.”
A disappointed ANC provincial secretary Faiez Jacobs said: “We . . . will accept the outcome. We call on the DA councillors to serve the whole community, and not just the white minority.”