Keeping it local
There’s enough gloom and turmoil around at present to justify switching off the news. Not a bad idea when you can’t do much to alter the course of events. On the other hand, there’s local news which affects you directly and is something you can influence.
You can switch that off too, but not such a good idea as you’ll pass up the opportunity to ensure that your City and local environment improves. In recent weeks, a handful of local people, who do not necessarily want to be named, have taken on their local environment and made a vast improvement, working with Makana Municipality.
First they fenced and cleared probably the worst dump site in Grahamstown and now they are engaged in rehabilitating it with indigenous plants. Others have made gardens and play areas on land that has been heavily degraded. Another person has worked with his gardener to clear waste dumped along a residential road.
Someone else spotted a commercial vehicle dumping building materials on commonage, took photos and discovered that the waste originated from a local school. They were contacted and the building firm has been instructed by the school to clear up the mess. Can you imagine what Grahamstown would look like if more people stepped forward and did some little thing to help?
Municipal billing
Work is being done to improve billing and collection rates and a new system has been implemented. Although this a good development there are teething problems that have caused many upsets. Sometimes it has come as a shock to have bills based on actual readings where years of averaging have proved too low. Please note that under the new system you have a new account number and you must amend your payment instructions to the new number before January.
There have also been mistakes made and incorrect calculations leading to excessive bills for some, requiring remedial action.
All the contact numbers you need at Finance Department are on our website at : http:// grahamstownresidentsassociation.co.za/?page_id=205
The presentation given at Grahamstown Bowling Club on 1 November is also on our website, and our members said they found it enlightening and interesting. You can view the presentation at: http://grahamstownresidentsassociation.co.za/?p=225
The Chief Operations Officer of Revco, Sheldon Goodall, stressed that anyone receiving a notification, whether they felt it was justified or not, should make contact with Revco to resolve the matter or lodge a dispute. If you ignore a demand for payment then further action is likely to follow.
Stray livestock
GRA presented our petition about stray livestock to The Executive Mayor, Nomlhe Gaga, at City Hall on Tuesday. We will keep monitoring progress on refurbishment of the pound at SPCA and anticipate that action to impound stray livestock will commence by the end of November.
Spending Municipal money
It’s all very well supporting the municipality’s efforts to improve revenue collection, but we must also hold them to account for wasting resources. As you’ve read in the last two weeks of Grocott’s Mail there are serious issues to be addressed concerning unwarranted overtime and staff not working during normal work hours in certain departments. See more details on our Facebook page https:// www.facebook.com/GrahamstownResidentsAssociation/ posts/1221215861272194 . We have also written to the acting Municipal manager, Mandisi Planga about this issue. A copy of the letter is on our website for you to view.