GEORGE NEWS - A sum of R6,5m has been allocated to Civil Engineering Services for various storm water systems and wastewater network upgrades across George, as well as the tartan track for the Rosemoor Stadium and sports field.
This happened at a special council meeting on 21 October, with the tabling of the adjustment budget specifically for the Integrated Urban Development Grant (IUDG) from the Department of Co-operative Governance.
Although this sounds like celebratory news, not all political parties gave their support to the item.
In fact, all opposition parties – excluding the ACDP with whom the DA is in coalition – voted for a counterproposal, to discuss the adjustment budget at the next ordinary council meeting.
"This is particularly vexing, as the adjustment budget makes way for a R6,5m incentive from National Treasury, because of our municipality's excellent spending on IUDG projects," said Mayor Jackie von Brandis. "This incentive will ensure our ability to assist even more residents who need it most and should be supported by all councillors."
Blurry text
FF Plus Provincial Leader Gert van Niekerk said their party would have loved to vote in favour of the adjustment budget, but it was impossible to give oversight when you can hardly read the document.
"When you scroll down the electronic file, you are confronted with rows and rows of blurry figures. It was not possible to read any of it. I am talking about a hefty document with many, many pages of figures that are impossible to read," said Van Niekerk.
"We also received this item after 18:00 on the Friday, before the Monday morning meeting. How are we supposed to caucus on the item before the meeting?" He made the point that the opposition did not vote against the adjustment budget, they merely didn't support it.
Gert van Niekerk
Van Niekerk said an adjustment budget needs to be dealt with during an ordinary council meeting, granting enough time to discuss the item, and not a special council meeting, as in this case. The opposition's counterproposal, asking to deal with the item at the next ordinary council meeting, did not carry.
The funding has been allocated to the upgrade of storm water systems in Rosemoor and Thembalethu; wastewater network upgrades in Thembalethu; water distribution system upgrades in Conville, Parkdene, Thembalethu and Andersonville (Pacaltsdorp), and the upgrade of the tartan track for Rosemoor Stadium and sports field.
Upper limits
During the same meeting, Council approved the increased remuneration of councillors. This is subject to agreement by MEC for Local Government Anton Bredell.
Chief Financial Officer Riaan du Plessis said George Municipality has made sufficient provision for this.
The upper limits of salaries, allowances and benefits of different members of municipal councils are determined by the minister of CoGTA and was published in the Government Gazette on 17 October.
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