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ELM responds on undelivered library books
VANDERBIJLPARK. - Following Sedibeng Ster’s article about the undelivered books discovered by the Democratic Alliance (DA) at the Vereeniging Library (Sedibeng Ster, 28 October- 3 November), the Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM), through its acting manager: Communications, Marketing and Branding, Stanley Gaba has responded.
VANDERBIJLPARK. – Following Sedibeng Ster’s article about the undelivered books discovered by the Democratic Alliance (DA) at the Vereeniging Library (Sedibeng Ster, 28 October- 3 November), the Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM), through its acting manager: Communications, Marketing and Branding, Stanley Gaba has responded.
The article reported that the DA had discovered books stored at the Vereeniging Library in massive stockpiles while libraries had needed them since 2012.
“What we have here is a gross injustice and a human rights violation of the Emfuleni people,” Kingsol Chabalala, DA Gauteng spokesperson on Sports, Arts, Culture and Heritage and also a member of the Gauteng Legislature had said at the time. In his response to the article Gaba said that all 15 libraries in the jurisdiction of Emfuleni are operated by the municipality (ELM) and that the funding model is that Gauteng Province transfers funds from the ELM conditional grant to community libraries for the procurement of new books.
These books are then procured from the service providers registered on the municipalities’ database. All new books are delivered and stored in the Vereeniging Library.“The challenge that Emfuleni experienced was not a distribution problem but a cataloguing problem.
The reason for this was that the cataloguer had resigned and had not yet been replaced,” Gaba said. On whether the department has conducted an investigation into the matter, Gaba said the department is aware of the backlog in cataloguing and processing of books in Emfuleni, and that the matter has been prioritised.
Chabalala said at the time that he would ask the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) to investigate “the series of unfortunate events that led to valuable and costly resources (books) being hidden in a storage facility.”
And according to Gaba the Department has transferred funds to ELM to appoint an Acquisitions Librarian for the procurement of new books as well as to assist with the cataloguing of books. The official commenced service on October 1.
“It should be noted that during this time the new Boitumelo Library had just been handed over after completion and books were still being delivered, as well as the Evaton Library that had undergone massive upgrades, and the Sebokeng Library that was extended and upgraded.
“All 13 of these libraries did get books under severe staff shortages,” Gaba ended.
lerato.serero@mooivaalmedia.com
