What you need to know about ward committees

WITH local government elections over, it is time for the election of ward committees.

As such, this is an opportunity for residents to get involved in their suburbs, to help identify problems and needs.

A ward committee is a structure created to assist the democratically elected representative of a ward carry out his or her mandate.

It serves in an advisory and supportive role.

“Ward committees will work with ward councillors to ensure public participation processes represent the ward’s full diversity of interests.

“However, the ward councillor remains fully and solely accountable to council, their political party and the community,” said Vasco Da Gama, speaker of the Joburg council.

The elections will be held from January 28 to February 11 next year.

“We are starting with an extensive awareness campaign coupled with civic education about the establishment and role of ward committees,” he said.

The office of the speaker will raise community awareness of the elections on radio, in newspapers, on the city’s website and in social media.

Residents are encouraged to participate to ensure their concerns are adequately addressed at the relevant council portfolio meeting.

Da Gama said those residents who believed they had the will and time to serve their community should avail themselves for election to a portfolio of their interest.

“We have an obligation to advance our democracy and encourage communities to become actively involved so their communities in turn can evolve through active participation,” he said.

Joburg has 135 wards and each ward has to elect 10 members to represent various portfolios:

Ward committee meetings are held once a month to discuss issues emanating from the community through the various sector representatives and obtain feedback from the ward councillor on critical issues and decisions at council.

“The establishment of appropriate structures and processes is fundamental for successful service delivery by local government,” said Da Gama.

Nomination forms will be available from all municipal offices, facilities and the city’s website from November 1 until November 25.

A stipend of R1 000 a month is given to members. Thank you for printing the article about the swimming pool problems last week.

Thank you again for all your help in this matter and here’s hoping that they will get moving to get this pool open without further delay – as well as the 12 other pools around Joburg that I hear are also not open.

This is absolutely disgusting that we have to put up with this when these departments could have done something during the winter months and got all these pools in working order.

If somebody like MetroWatch doesn’t follow up and push for all the other swimming pools to be repaired, who else will do it or care?

Residents’ chance to get involved in their suburbs