DistrictMail
14th July 2011
“THE proposal to create an additional sub-council within the Helderberg by regrouping several municipal wards, presents more problems than it is likely to solve.”
This is according to Peter Ford, chairperson of the Helderberg Residents’ Action Association (HRAA).
On Monday night, at the start of its regular meeting, the Association’s executive committee invited councillors Stuart Pringle and Benedicta van Minnen to explain the proposal in detail. The executive members then discussed and considered the plan’s significance for the community.
The proposal arises from the creation of six new municipal wards in the City of Cape Town by the Municipal Demarcation Board, which is an independent body. The additional wards are necessitated by an increase in the number of registered voters.
“The boundaries of these wards are now fixed and unalterable. This necessitates a review of sub-council boundaries, which are flexible, provided they do not straddle ward boundaries,” explains Ford.
“An object of the review is the allocation of fewer wards to each sub-council. Services will continue to be provided in each area as at present but sub-councils, it is said, will be better able to monitor service delivery in each ward.”
The mooted new sub-council in the Helderberg would consist of wards 15,16 and 109 on the western side of Somerset West. The recent delimitation repositioned a large portion of the Somerset West ward 84 within ward 15. The boundary line is Dummer Street near Parel Vallei. “This creates intractable problems when drawing new sub-council boundaries,” says Ford.
“A consequence is that a significant part of the town would find itself administratively separated from the rest of the town. Theoretically, this should make no difference to residents, who will continue to receive services as before.”
The new sub-council will continue to be administered from the present municipal offices in Andries Pretorius Street.
The HRAA is sceptical of the expected benefits of the scheme and apprehensive of the possible costs, even though these are claimed to be minimal.
“Some members are of the opinion that the new sub-forum’s administration will soon relocate to Macassar. There is strong opposition to what appears to be the arbitrary allocation of wards to different sub-councils,” says Ford.
“While it is evident that sooner or later it will become necessary to reduce the area of responsibility of the present Helderberg sub-council, the location of the new boundary between wards 84 and 15 makes it impossible to offer a practical and acceptable alternative.”
The committee members find the timing of the proposal unacceptable as it came in the midst of July holidays when many people are away.
The Council expects comments not later than 18 July in time for its next full Council meeting.
It was explained that if a longer period were allowed for public comment, the Council would be unable to allocate PR councillors before its October meeting.
In effect, there would be no functioning sub-councils until next year.
The timing of the entire process had been determined by the date of the recent municipal elections.
• Down load the proposed by-law at
https://www.capetown.gov.za/en/ByLaws/Draft%20bylaws/AmendmentSub-councilBy-lawEnglish.pdf
For further details, visit
https://www.capetown.gov.za/en/subcouncils/Pages/CommentonCitySubcBoundaries.aspx
The City of Cape Town’s map of the proposed sub-council boundaries can be viewed at
https://www.capetown.gov.za/en/Documents/24Subcouncil_Proposal.pdf
The closing date for comment is 18 July
For inquiries and written submissions, contact Keith Miller (manager: subcouncils) at 021 400 1261
Email subcouncil.Support@capetown.gov.za
