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PIGG’S PEAK – Some members of Pigg’s Peak Ratepayers Association were on Wednesday forced out of a meeting with the town council.
The reason the members of the Rate payers Association were forced out of the meeting is that the council had only invited the Ratepayers Association (xecutive Members to form part of it.
Some of the members are still bitter over the incident and they confided in this publication that they do not under stand why they were made to leave the meeting as they believed that matters of the council directly involved them.
Meeting
An executive member of the Pigg’s Peak Ratepayers Association confirmed that only members of the committee had been invited to form part of the meeting.
“I think those members of the associ ation or ratepayers who came to attend the meeting but were asked to leave did not get a chance with the council to properly communicate on who was invited to the meeting.
“+owever, I cannot be really sure what transpired as I was late and I only learnt after the meeting that there are members who were asked to leave,” he said.
The executive member further dis closed that the meeting was called for the Pigg’s Peak Ratepayers Association (xecutive Members and &ouncil to deliberate on how the two parties would work as per the newly introduced Mem orandum of 8nderstanding (Mo8).
“We had gone there to talk about how the parties were to work with the Mo8 now guiding our working relationship. Issues that were to be looked at include taking decisions if the Ratepayers Asso ciation and &ouncil would hold, either, weekly, fortnight or monthly meetings. Other issues which arose included issues
that needed urgent attention in town which had become problematic to the people of Pigg’s Peak,” he said.
Pigg’s Peak Ratepayers Association Secretary %usta 9ilakati was also drawn for comment and also confirmed that some ratepayers were asked to leave the meeting by senior council officials as the meeting was meant for the executive committee and council.
“It is true that the town council had called the meeting for the Pigg’s Peak Ratepayers Association (xecutive Members.
Success
“There was nothing we can do if those who had not been invited were asked to leave. Otherwise, I can say that the meeting was a success,” said 9ilakati.
Pigg’s Peak Town &ouncil Public Re lations Officer (PRO) Phumaphi Msweli said it was not necessarily that some residents or ratepayers were chucked out of the meeting.
She, however, indicated that only the executive members of the association had been invited to the meeting.
“1ormally, it is the executive com mittee that we engage during meetings. What happened last week is that some of the executive members explained that some ratepayers or residents usually
Moin the meetings. A consensus was then reached that the members who attend the meetings should not interchange but it must be the same members in all meetings.
Purposes
“This we resolved for purposes of continuity so that there should be no confusion but the members who attend the meetings be up to date on matters which are discussed in these meetings,” said Msweli.
She said it will work in everyone’s favour to know that such a resident or ratepayer from this particular ward forms part of those who attend the meetings and can explain to other rate payers what is being discussed during the meetings.
Meanwhile, Acting Mayor &ouncillor Absalom 1dlovu recently confirmed another meeting with Pigg’s Peak Rate payers Association where they intended to teach ratepayers on how to conduct business with the council as per the Mo8.
“It is true that we had held a meeting with the Ratepayers Association where we highlighted that we will teach them about the Mo8 they signed with us on how they should conduct operations with the council,” said 1dlovu.