The office of MMC of Environment and Infrastructure Services has raised questions surrounding the legality of a DA PR councillor’s investigation into the large number of Zandspruit residents using a small number of toilets.
Democratic Alliance Ward 100 and 114 PR councillor Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku claimed that residents in the Silvertown area of Zandspruit only had four toilets available to share between 600 people.
Deputy Director in the office of the MMC Stan Itshegetseng said that the office was concerned about a video clip taken by Kayser-Echeozonjoku, which she purports to have been taken during the Covid-19 lockdown period. “We are not sure if she has furnished the media with proof that she as a PR councillor had a permit to leave her home to take such video clips. We await being served with proof of her permit used to film the area, without which she would have committed a criminal offence.
“The Johannesburg Water team were able to inspect the area as they were the only ones in terms of the Covid-19 regulations at that time, allowed to leave their homes. It would be interesting to know how Kayser-Echeozonjoku at that time of the lockdown was able to conduct an oversight visit to the informal settlement and take pictures and videos with community members,” he said.
DA Caucus Leader Leah Knott responded to this saying that the role of a councillor is one of oversight. She said, “It entails, amongst other things, ensuring that community interests are represented in council that the administration delivers services according to defined parameters, and that government is held accountable.
“If we refer to the National Disaster Regulations published on the 25 March and 29 April, it is clear that councillors are declared as essential services and all councillors within the City of Johannesburg have been issued with the relevant permits from the Speaker’s Office to allow them to perform their functions during Covid-19. Councillors are expected to monitor the implementation of the City’s plans and programmes in their community or ward which includes service delivery issues such as electricity, sewer, ablution, cleaning services, water, policing, etc.
“It is of extreme concern that not only does it appear that the MMC’s office has failed to familiarise themselves with regulations that impact directly on their ability to deliver services during Covid-19 but also that they are intentionally attempting to unlawfully remove Councillors from looking too closely into their activities. One has to question the reasoning behind such a statement and what it aims to achieve.”
Related article: Number of shared Zandspruit toilets a concern for councillor
