Residents waiting on date for EMLM IDP budget meeting

Komani residents are still waiting for new dates to be issued by the Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality (EMLM) for a public participation engagement on the municipality’s draft IDP budget for the 2021/2022 financial year.

The meeting was postponed at the eleventh hour two weeks ago, but no new date has been provided.

Local resident Aloisius Alexander said: “When I arrived for the meeting there was a workers’ meeting. The mayor was also in a meeting.

“People in the municipal manager’s office said there were people in the hall and did not know if there would be a meeting.

“Other people who came to attend were also shocked to find there was another meeting taking place.”

EMLM spokesperson Lonwabo Kowa said the meeting had clashed with a SA Municipal Workers’ Union meeting after a double booking had been made.

He said the council had resolved to avoid a recurrence.

Further reasons on why it was taking so long to host the public meeting were unclear.

Meanwhile, the meeting was postponed due to lack of power at the Ashley Wyngaardt hall in Victoria Park.

Another resident, Cliff Pringle said: “There was no power in the hall. We could not see the mayor and councillors, so the meeting was postponed to the following day.”

He added there were a number of people from wards 12 and13 and Nomzamo who had attended.

“Nomzamo residents were complaining of having to come so far to attend the meeting in Victoria Park instead of having one conducted in their area.

“Having too few attending the meeting does not help.

“It would be best if each ward councillor held their own meeting and forwarded the public demands to the municipality,” Pringle said.

However, Kowa said residents from other Enoch Mgijima areas had participated in their public meetings.

“The meetings took place and the attendance was as planned except for Ilinge where there were huge numbers and municipal officials had to be added to ensure compliance with Covid-19 protocols,” he said.

One Ezibeleni resident told The Rep that there was poor attendance in Ezibeleni.

Kowa said: “The municipality did not consider its normal mass invitations as this would lead to large numbers, with the potential of flouting Covid-19 protocols. New dates will be communicated with the affected wards.”