Lgh Newsletter October Novemb
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From the Editorial Team Editorial Team: It is always a pleasure writing to you. Together with the Communication Team, Editor: we seek to enlighten you and report about the wonderful work, that the Xolani Tyilana Department of Local Government and Housing has been involved with. You Tel: 483 2686 see our main aim is to entertain, inform and educate, through, stories that we get to report on. This, we believe will play a big role, in ensuring that everyone Content: in the Department is constantly informed about activities / events taking place in the Department. We also aim that every staff member in the organization Xolani Luthuli finds a place to locate him or herself somewhere in it, because we further Tel: 483 3605 believe that, service delivery, is everyone's responsibility in the Department. Debbie Francis You see, we all play a role in service delivery, in one way or the other. We Tel: 483 6672 all contribute in meeting the Department's objective in our respective Chief Xolani Luthuli Directorates, Directorates and Components. from the editorial team Sandy Godlwana Tel: 483 4976 In this month's edition, we are going to take on a ride, where you will get to see our political principal Mr. Qubudile Richard Dyantyi and his Department's Vumile Ncedani officials travelling the breath and length of the Western Cape Province Tel: 483 8975 discharging Constitutional responsibility. You will get to see the MEC engaging Zoë Butsaka with various communities as he attempts to meet the delivery of houses Tel: 483 2578 amongst others. We also have a special segment on Breast Cancer. Now this segment is very informative and guys (males in the Department), the Thyrza Horn information is not only relevant to our female colleagues. You will also get Tel: 483 8790 to know a thing or two about Breast Cancer. Design and Layout: You will also get to hear from the MEC, in his own words why he proposed Jacques van Wyngaardt to change the current system of governance in the City of Cape Town Municipality. Though, you might have read or heard from media reports that Tel: 483 3634 a deal was clinched. It is imperative to know and understand his reason for initially wanting to change the system of governance. So sit back, relax, grab your cup of tea or coffee (was tempted to say your whiskey, but aish, it's during working hours and that won't be appropriate), as we take you on the journey. Model of a Proposed House: October was a big month for housing in the Western Cape with the South African Housing Conference and a Housing Indaba that took place. Inside this Issue Page Content 3 Local Government and Housing MEC Qubudile Richard Dyantyi promises to root out corruption and investigate problems facing the housing industry 4 Heated Debate at Cape Sun over the Proposed System Change 5 MEC addressing Women at a SAWIC Breakfast 6 The South African Housing Foundation Conference & Exhibition 7 Clarifying Roles and Responsibilities of the Mayors and Speakers at a Indaba Held at the Cape Sun 8 Disaster Management and Risk Reduction Everybody's Responsibility 9 Breast Cancer Awareness Month 7 We say Good Bye to Charlotte Bernadus, Shanaaz’s Secretary 10 Efforts to accelerate Housing Delivery, the P.H.P. 12 The Motivational Corner 13 New Appointments 14 Birthdays 15 Farewell to Mr Moses Witbooi Letters from Staff We’d like to hear from you! Please forward any queries and letters to [email protected] or contact us at tel: 021 483 2870, fax: 021 483 2010 lPlease note that letters will be edited grammatically without any change to the context. Residents from Khayelitsha at the PHP meeting at the OR Tambo hall by Vumile Ncedani peaking before a large crowd of about 5000 residents S at the Oliver Tambo Hall in Khayelitsha, the MEC spoke of his attempts to fight corruption since he was appointed. "I want you to leave your details with my officials. The problems from this group are more or less the same and I will investigate." "I am here today as MEC for housing to listen to your problems. I am not new in Khayelitsha and I will always be available to you, so that you don't march to my office," said Dyantyi. The MEC was responding to members of the crowd in the meeting organized as part of People Housing Process (PHP). One after another the members of the crowd complained about poor service from unscrupulous contractors who left their houses unfinished. Sithembele Mcegwana thanked the MEC for coming to listen to their problems. She said the biggest concerns in her area were corruption amongst the councillors, officials and that the houses are not completed. MEC Dyantyi responding to questions asked by "The houses leak and this is a serious concern for the community members residents. We have spoken to the councillors about it and we have not seen any improvement," said Mcegwana. While Lungiswa Mbaxa said she was asked to buy materials for the project called Masithembane and they would come back to build the house. "They asked me to buy everything so that they can finish my house within two to three weeks. They never came back. They robbed us," said angry Mbaxa. Another resident who introduced herself as Nomathamsanqa told the MEC she was not working and she had three children that she had to take care of. She complained that her house was never completed since 2003 and she was still waiting for assistance from government. "They only put paint. There were no doors, windows nothing. I have to buy them out of my own pocket," she said. Ludidi Sikhokelo from Site C asked the MEC to intervene because they had been victimized by the previous contractors who ran away with their money. "We want the MEC to help us because those people are not helping us. We don't want them anymore," said Sokhokelo. In closing the MEC asked members of the community to be patient One of the community members raising a question by Sandy Godlwana EC Qubudile Richard Dyantyi met with Councillors Mat the Cape Sun Hotel on the 17 October 2006. The sole purpose of this meeting was to discuss the proposed change of the City's governance to an Executive Committee System. This meeting comes shortly after Dyantyi issued a letter to City of Cape Town's Executive Mayor Helen Zille on the 18 September 2006 informing her of his intention to change the type of municipality in respect of the City of Cape Town. The meeting was boycotted by Councillors from the multi- party government after legal experts advised that a full council mandate was needed before the consultation could go ahead. It was opened to the media and the public. All councillors were invited to this consultation session as this was a platform for them to voice their opinion on the matter. City of Cape Town's Executive Mayor Helen Zille and Municipal Manager Achmat Ebrahim failed to attend this meeting. "In school when a student fails to attend a lecture. Classes don't stop just because that student didn't attend. Lectures go ahead as planned," said Dyantyi. After MEC's brief intro, he invited councillors to share their views on the intended change. Out spoken Independent Democrats city caucus leader, Simon Grindrod was the first on the stand, he said a system change would have to be achieved through an election process. He also emphasized that they are in favour of the EXCO system. He also added that Mayor Zille likes to create media hype instead of following principle. The African National Congress's views were conveyed by Local Chief Whip Peter Gabriel, caucus leader Mbelelo Ncedana and councillors Koos Bredenhand and Carol Beerwinkel respectively. Gabriel said that the city was now more divided along racial lines than ever because of the way in which the Democratic Alliance administration had established sub-councils. MEC Dyantyi met with National Minister of Provincial and Local Government Sydney Mufumadi on the 18 October 2006 and on the 19 October 2006 with South African Local Government Association (SALGA). Dyantyi said he found it rather "strange" that the DA, with democratic principles like the ANC, was not prepared to work together in a MEC Qubudile Richard Dyantyi being "collective space." interviewed by the media at the event by Sandy Godlwana he South African Women in Construction (SAWIC) A very lively and energetic Ms Nomsa Skweyiya, Tis a community organization which serves to lobby Chairperson of SAWIC Western Cape spoke about this and advocate support for women to be empowered in company. She said they looked at a number of strategies construction activities. On the 5 October 2006, this to make SAWIC what it is today. In terms of building a organization invited officials from our Department to a rapport and being visible in the industry. "This industry is breakfast at the Mount Nelson hotel. This was an booming, especially now with 2010 coming up soon, but opportunity for them to establish a working relationship it is predominantly male dominated and women are not with various stakeholders in the construction field. But taken seriously. Another challenge we have is fronting. more importantly to enhance relationships with There are so many black people who are placed in big organizations they've worked with. positions but can't even use computers," added Nomsa. The Economic Sub-directorate of the Department of Local MEC Qubudile Dyantyi delivered a keynote address at Government and Housing promotes the empowerment of this breakfast.