Gauteng legislature’s standing committee on petitions convenes public hearings

Led by the Chairperson, Honourable Refilwe Mogale, the Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s (GPL) Standing Committee on Petitions will convene its quarterly public hearing on 25^th November. The hearings are aimed at resolving service delivery concerns raised by communities of Gauteng through petitions. These concerns often come to the Legislature as submissions, petitions or requests addressed to the Petitions Standing Committee by individuals or representatives of communities.

The people of Gauteng have a constitutional right to petition on issues related to the work of the Gauteng Provincial Government and Gauteng municipalities, and are thus entitled to a platform to raise their concerns and have them addressed by relevant structures. The right to petition is given and protected in sections 17, 115, 118, and 195 of the country’s Constitution, and the Gauteng Petitions Act (no. 5 of 2002).

The hearing of the 18^th focused on the following petitions:

• Mismanagement of Funds: Toekomsrus (Rand West City Municipality)
• Establishment of Old Age Centre (Rand West City Municipality & Dept of Social Development)
• Billing System: Toekomsrus (Rand West City Municipality)
• Poor Service Delivery: Toekomsrus (Rand West City Municipality)
• Removal of asbestos roof: Toekomsrus (Rand West City Municipality& Dept of Human Settlement)
• Lack of Development for people with disability: Randfontein: PP14B/08/16/LH (Rand West City Municipality & Dept of Human Settlement)
• Illegal dumping: Muldersdrift (Mogale City Municipality)
• Incomplete RDP: Krugersdorp (Mogale City Municipality & Dept of Human Settlement)
• Relocation from Informal Settlement (Mogale City Municipality & Dept of Human Settlement)

The hearing on the 25^th will focus on the following petitions:

• Old Age Centre: 71697 Sebokeng (Emfuleni Local Municipality)
• Storm Water Channel: Sebokeng (Emfuleni Local Municipality)
• Encroachment: Sebokeng (Emfuleni Local Municipality)
• Request for tarred street, storm water drainage: Sebokeng Ext. 6,3,2 (Emfuleni Local Municipality)
• Development: Qwelang (Emfuleni Local Municipality)
• Lack of Service Delivery: Sebokeng (Emfuleni Local Municipality)
• Sanitation: Evaton (Emfuleni Local Municipality)
• RDP House: Boiketlong (Emfuleni Local Municipality & Dept of Human Settlement)
• RDP House: Evaton West (Emfuleni Local Municipality & Dept of Human Settlement)
• Sebokeng Zone 20 RDPs (Emfuleni Local Municipality & Dept of Human Settlement)
• Improper Allocation of RDP Houses: Ward 17 Sebokeng (Emfuleni Local Municipality & Dept of Human Settlement)
• Housing Development: Sebokeng Ext 24 (Emfuleni Local Municipality & Dept of Human Settlement)

The Petitions Public Hearings are scheduled to take place as follows:

Date: Saturday, 25^th November 2017

Starting Time: 09h00

Venue: Soland Park School Hall, Emfuleni

Citizens of surrounding areas have been invited to form part of one of the most effective and peaceful means of resolving community concerns, grievances and requests without resorting to violent demonstrations. Community members are also encouraged to submit petitions/grievances/complaints in writing on the days of the petitions hearings as there will be a setup for this purpose.

For further information or queries, please contact: Mr Mbulaheni Likhade 011 498 5952/ 072 630 0607 MLikhade@gpl.gov.za OR Mr Senoto Teane 011 498 5846/ 071 603 1663 STeane@gpl.gov.za

You can also visit our website: ww.gpl.gov.za; follow us on Twitter @GPLegislature; or like our FB page Gauteng Provincial Legislature.