In an open letter to the City of Cape Town, Sandra Dickson, the founder of the STOP COCT – Dear Cape Town website and Brackenfell resident, takes the City’s ward councillors to task for their failure to speak out against the draconian draft budget for 2018/19.
According to Dickson, who has carefully studied the 1804-page document, this budget reaches right into the home of every single Capetonian to whom municipal services are provided.
“This budget, in its current form, adds up to 36% or more of the working class citizen’s municipal bill at a time when the country’s GDP is under 1% and the inflation rate is under 5%,” she says.
This website, launched in December last year, has proven to be a deadly weapon in the hands of the public when it comes to holding the City of Cape Town accountable.
Responsible for submitting 55 000 objections out of a City-wide total of 61 000, this website was primarily responsible for stopping the City’s proposed water levies earlier this year.
“This letter is directed to the 231 councillors in the City of Cape Town, entrusted with our votes to act on our instruction and to look out for us. Thus far one councillor has come out publicly to criticise the budget and to distance himself from it. Where are the voices of the other 230 councillors?” Dickson says in the letter.
“Now is the time to speak up and to come through for your voters!”
Dickson says the 2018/19 draft budget of the City of Cape Town was passed to be put to public participation, which closes on 4 May 2018.
According to her there was no debate allowed on the budget when it was presented and signed off by council.
Dickson says the period of comment for the public to peruse this budget is hopelessly too short.
“I appeal to councillors to extend this period immediately. If you yourself do not understand the budget, the unworkable side of it and the implication of implementing it, please pass a motion to extend the deadline for public participation,” she urges.
“Why are none of the councillors questioning the failure of the City to deliver significant augmented water?” Dickson pertinently asks.
She questions the City’s contention that they have to date spent over R1bn on water augmentation schemes such as desalination and drilling.
“The City currently has not spent the R2.7bn which was allowed by Minister Gigaba in the reprioritisation of the 2017/18 budget in December. Yet you see fit to pass a budget asking for even more money from the already cash-stricken working class,” she says.
“Councillors, I appeal to your conscience to stand up and fight for the public that voted for you; keeping you in office. You cannot remain part of this extortion and claim that you are serving and upholding our democracy. You cannot continue to sell us out.
“I am deeply concerned about what our local government is now standing for and the blatant disregard for the needs, wellbeing and wishes of the public.
“It is just insane to expect the public to foot a multibillion capital expenditure to augment our water supply in a period of three years. Nowhere in the world does any business work according to such a model. Capital expenditure of this nature is normally spread over 10 to 20 years,” she states.
“I therefore urge you to ask the right questions in council and caucus meetings. Speak up if you are not allowed to represent our voices. Use your democratic, elected right to change this disastrous route the City of Cape Town is finding itself on. Inaction by you and blindly accepting what you are told to say and do will leave its scars on society for many years to come – history will report that you stood by and did nothing.”
The one dissenting councillor to whom Dickson refers is Grant Twigg, chairperson of subcouncil 2, which includes Brackenfell, Kraaifontein and parts of Kuils River. Twigg is also the DA Cape Metro chairperson.
In a statement he released on 19 April, Twigg says a robust debate is required on the draft budget.
“The budget in its current form is unacceptable and cannot be approved by a caring DA government. Although the budgeting process implemented by the mayor allowed for nearly no input from councillors in the formulation of the budget, I urge all councillors to amend this proposal,” Twigg states.
He adds: “The Metro regional executive notes with concern the various tariff increases proposed and the implications on the residents of Cape Town. A people-centred government should never make its residents feel as if the municipal budget is a punitive one. The majority of residents have heeded the call of the City to save water … it is now the turn of the City to ensure the implications of this are effectively mitigated.”
TygerBurger is awaiting comment from the City of Cape Town.
A total of 22 300 residents have already voiced their objections to the draft budget on the Stop COCT – Dear Cape Town website. Add your voice at www.dearcapetown.co.za/coct-budget.
What is your opinion on this article? Let us know at briewe@tygerburger.co.za.
