Covid-19 has come with the challenge of resorting to new and initiative ways to communicate with people.
The City of Johannesburg is no exception to the matter and they have done exactly that according to Speaker of Council Nonceba Molwele. She explained, “Instead of holding Integrated Development Plan (IDP) public meetings, as has been the norm for ages, the Disaster Management Act regulations have required that we think out of the box in how the City engages with its stakeholders.”
This coming after the council held its first-ever virtual council meeting on 29 May. The City will also rely on all its communication platforms to engage with the public on matters relating to the IDP public meetings. Molwele said the City’s website, social media platforms and bulk SMSes would be used while also availing hard copies of the draft 2020/21 IDP, medium-term budget and tariffs at all of seven of the City’s regional offices, including the ground floor of the Metro Centre in Braamfontein. Copies can also be downloaded from the City’s website, www.joburg.org.za
The deadline date for submissions is fast approaching and the public has been urged to have their say. She added, “Please be mindful that time is not on our side as we ensure that service delivery continues throughout the city. The deadline for the submission of public comments is Tuesday, 23 June 2020.”
Molwele reiterated that this was all in an effort to reach out to all its stakeholders to afford them the opportunity to contribute towards the 2020/21 IDP.
