Knysna nie gereed vir ‘gaste’
Johann Vosloo, Knysna:
In Jackie Kruger se artikel “Knysna soek dringend beleggers” (Die Burger 20 Februarie 2018), sê mnr Kam Chetty, die munisipale bestuurder, dat hulle dit makliker wil maak om sake in groter Knysna te doen en rompslomp uit te skakel. ‘n Uitstekende gedagte, maar mnr Chetty, as jou huis stukkend is moet jy eers regmaak voordat jy gaste nooi.
Mnr Chetty kan gerus eers vir Helen Zille uitnooi om die DA leier Mmusi Maimane Knysna toe te bring voor die reël van enige konferensie. Hy moet ‘n bestekopname kom doen oor die agteruitgang van hierdie eens pragtige dorp. Sprake van patronaatskap en gekompromitteerde amptenare vier hoogty.
Vakante poste word blykbaar laat geadverteer en met ongekwalifiseerde tydelike personeel gevul. In baie gevalle wanneer ‘n pos wel geadverteer word is daar glo ‘n vreemde klousule by, iets soos “only in-house applications will be considered”. Wie moet aangestel word, ongekwalifiseerde personeel?
Met tenders vind die teenoorgestelde skynbaar plaas. Swak bewoorde en onvolledige tenders word wyd versprei. Dit wil voorkom of al hoe meer tenders aan onbeholpe Oos-Kaapse maatskappye toegeken word terwyl daar uitstekende plaaslike firmas beskikbaar is. Knysna se infrastruktuur en instandhouding is een van die min Wes-Kaapse DA-beheerde munisipaliteite wat meeding met die swakste vervalle dorpe in die Oos-Kaap.
Die DA-burgermeester en -raadslede het eenparig saam met die opposisie gestem vir hulle maksimum salarisverhoging. Verder het hulle ook n maandelikse R3 500 kontant selfoontoelaag aan hulself toegeken om te spandeer soos hulle wil. Daar is nog ‘n lang lys ongerymdhede wat by die dag langer word. Zuma is weg, maar hier stoom sy nalatenskap nog rustig voort.
Knysna het dringend beginselvaste, etiese, onafhanklike kandidate nodig vir die volgende verkiesing, wat haalbare doelwitte nastreef.
English translation:
In Jackie Kruger’s article “Knysna urgently needs investors” (Die Burger 20 February 2018), municipal manager Kam Chetty says they want to make it easier to do business in Greater Knysna and cut out the red tape. An excellent idea, but Mr Chetty, if your house is in disrepair you must first fix it before inviting guests.
Mr Chetty would do well to first invite Helen Zitte ZILLE to bring DA leader Mmusi Maimane to Knysna before organising any conference. He must do a survey of the decline of this once beautiful town. Patronage and compromised officials are the talk of the town.
Vacancies are advertised late and filled with unqualified temporary personnel. In many instances, when a post does get advertised, there is apparently an additional clause in the line of “Only in-house applications will be considered”. Who must be appointed, unqualified personnel?
When it comes to tenders, apparently the opposite happens. Poorly worded and incomplete tenders are distributed widely. It would appear as if more and more tenders are being awarded to incompetent Eastern Cape companies while there are excellent local firms available. Knysna’s infrastructure and maintenance boil down to the town being one of the few Western Cape DA-run municipalities that could compete with the poorest, dilapidated towns in the Eastern Cape.
The DA mayor and councillors voted unanimously with the opposition in favour of maximum salary increases. Additionally, they approved a monthly R3 500 cash cellphone allowance to be spent at will. There is a long list of irregularities, which gets longer by the day. Zuma is gone, but here his legacy steams ahead at a steady pace.
Knysna urgently needs principled, ethical, independent candidates for the next election, who will strive for attainable goals.