It’s time council is held accountable for its failure

In light of the current financial situation our misfit council has found itself in, I have one or two solutions to this problem …

Firstly, let’s address the fact that most households pay for their electricity by using prepaid meters. Let’s forget the fact that the council stole the free 50kw/h per month. Then they double billed us for being ‘in arrears’ somewhere in 2016/ 17.

I don’t care what political party is ruling the roost, because the opposition parties did nothing either!

Thus my suggestions are as follows –

We as a community must take back the council and fire the lot. We will appoint a governing body (let’s call them ‘the board’) to which the council employees will report to on:

(a) spending

(b) service delivery (the so-called Batho Pele principle they don’t adhere to)

(c) businesses who don’t pay

(d) residential defaulters

(e) council worker non-compliance etc.

I suggest that this board will consist of people knowledgeable in the different fields needed, like finance and law and so on. This would not be a full-time job but a governing body that will meet once a week for progress reports and accountability.

These board members will not get a salary, because it’s a big expense our community obviously can’t afford. This way we can as a community be in charge of our town instead of leaving it to a political party as they are useless, and because they get a salary they don’t care what is happening as long as they get their money and cars every month.

Or (and here is the kicker) …

We now have proof that council is not paying its accounts. If the non-compliance of residents is the result of a shortfall (don’t care from which demographic) they (the council including the employees) have failed the residents who did honour their debts. The council was supposed to manage those delinquent payers but failed.

Due to their actions we are going to lose more than just a few amenities. Things like employment, businesses, capital and we are going to sink into more difficulties as property values will fall and this will be a breeding town for crime as our town is decaying.

Now my solution is to give the council 21 days to give us a plan to get those delinquent accounts up to date or, we stop paying our rates and taxes to them. We register an account pay into that account until they come to the party.

Things cannot continue this way. If they do, this will become a ghost town.

It is time that Randfontein council and the councillors are held accountable for their failure. As we are held accountable by them when we are in arrears.