SEBOKENG. – Sedibeng District Executive Mayor, Councillor Busi Modisakeng, said all officials including councillors must pay rates and taxes before any plans can be implemented.
She said officials from all local municipalities must see themselves as role models for the citizens by posing as an example. Speaking to the media after the launch of 45 vehicles, Modisakeng said special steps will be taken against municipal employees who fail to pay their way.
“We need to sign a contract to dedicate ourselves because nothing is coming cheap from the government,” she said. On the other hand, the Vaal Concerned Residents (VCR) in solidarity with all residents, wants to pay a flat rate of R200 per month per household. The VCR says this some will be more than enough to pay for services.
In zone 10 Extension 1 alone, the municipality should be able to raise about R2 million per month. Joseph ‘Pap en Vleis’ Moloi, spokesperson
of the VCR, claim that a flat rate will enable the bankrupt municipality to raise a total of R40 million per month in Sebokeng only.
“What more, when the local government fast track collections to other areas,” he said. The VCR had on several occasions tried to engage with previous Mayors, up to Rev Gift Moerane, but to no avail.
November 3 will see a community gathering at Katleho School, in Zone 11, to decide steps forward in a public meeting that starts around 08:00.
There’s also a fear that a flat rate system will serve only to widen the incomes gap as the main beneficiaries will be the bigger earners. Some people have questioned the accuracy of projections as well as the ability of municipality to pay for a fleet of 45 new vehicles from local revenue when so many are losing their jobs in an economy that is widely reported as collapsing.
right thing as officials and councillors by paying rate and
taxes before pans could be complimented, “said Sedibeng
Executive Mayor, Councillor Busi Modisakeng. Photos:
Lazarus Dithagiso
