As a resident, I need to know how ward committee members can connect me to the ward councillors. What are committee members’ roles in terms of service delivery?
Ward 102 councillor David Potter answers:
Ward committee members are an extension of the ward councillor and act as a support to the ward and the ward councillor. Each ward, and in the City of Johannesburg there are 135 wards, has 10 ward committee members who each have a specific portfolio to look after. Portfolios of the ward committee match the portfolios of the mayoral committee such as infrastructure, transport, public safety etc.
Ward committee members have to live in the ward and report issues of concern that they are aware of or issues that a community member has made them aware of, to the ward councillor, who in turn raises the issues with the City. The work of the ward committee needs to go through the ward councillor.
Ward committees and residents play a crucial role in the input and active participation of City plans, the Integrated Development Plan and other meetings and activities of the city council.
Ward councillors will, in time, once the 2016 to 2021 term of office ward committee elections have been approved by the speaker of council, introduce their ward committees to their wards, either at public meetings or in the local newspaper.
Do you have a question for a ward councillor?
As a local newspaper, the Randburg Sun provides a platform for residents to learn about, understand and follow local government. As an extension of that, there is a weekly column called Councillor’s Corner which is a platform for you, our readers, to voice your concerns or questions for ward councillors to respond to.
Different, willing, ward councillors will respond to a question each week.
Email your burning question to aimeed@caxton.co.za and let’s get the ball rolling.
Read: Ward 73 councillor resigns
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