To see how hard working Ward Councillors go about their jobs, see Ward 9 councillor, Heinrich Muller’s newsletter below.
You may contact Ward 9 using the contact form at the bottom of this report.
1. STOLEN MANHOLE COVERS
We were asked to alert our communities that a syndicate stealing manhole covers, was operating on a big scale. Should you observe any suspicious activity pertaining to this, please do not hesitate to contact Lt. Eberson on 082 442 2253. Please also report any missing manhole covers in the ward to ward9@mandelametro.gov.za.
2. REZONING APPLICATION
An application has been received for an amendment to the Port Elizabeth Zoning Scheme by the rezoning of Erf 527 (Fenglen) situated at 346 Cape Road, Fernglen from Residential 1 to Business 3 purposes to permit the property to be used for offices. The application may be examined at the office of the Properties and Planning Administration, 2nd Floor, Lillian Diedericks building (old Brister House), Govan Mbeki Avenue, during normal office hours.
Should you have any comments/objections to the above application, please ensure that your comments/ objections reach the office of Y. Ntsamba, Land Planning Management Sub-Directorate, P O Box 9, Port Elizabeth, 6000 (yntsamba@mandelametro.gov.za, tel: 041 506-3358 or fax: 041 506-3430) on or before the closing date for objections, which is 2 April 2013. Please mention your erf number in your letter.
3. REMOVAL OF RESTRICTIVE CONDITIONS
Kindly take note that in accordance with Section 3(6) of the Removal of Restrictions Act, 1967 (Act 84 of 1967) the following application for the removal of restrictive conditions on the following properties have been received by council. The applications may be examined at the office of the Properties and Planning Administration, 2nd Floor, Lillian Diedericks building (old Brister House), Govan Mbeki Avenue, during normal office hours.
- Erf 670, (14 Delphinium Drive, Westering) (CF27/00670)(SN) (Ref. 33): Should you have any comments/objections to this application, please ensure that your comments/ objections reach the office of the Municipal Manager, P O Box 116, Port Elizabeth, 6000 on or before the closing date for objections, which is 18 March 2013. Please mention the abovementioned act as well as your erf number in your letter.
- Erf 1977, (31 Van Wyk Street, Westering) (CF27/01977)(YN) (Ref. 40)
- Erf 59, (38 Tulip Avenue, Sunridge Park) (CF24/00059)(LM) (Ref. 49) – removal of restrictive conditions in order to subdivide erf 59.
Should you have any comments/objections to the above two applications, please ensure that your comments/ objections reach the office of the Municipal Manager, P O Box 116, Port Elizabeth, 6000 on or before the closing date for objections, which is 25 March 2013. Please mention the abovementioned act as well as your erf number in your letter.
4. IDP / BUDGET 2011 – 2012 ANNUAL REPORT
Kindly take note the IDP/Budget 2011-2012 report as well as the Human Settlements EPRS By-laws Public Participation meeting are scheduled for Wednesday, 13 March 2013 at the Newton Park Library from 18h00 – 20h00.
Everybody is welcome to attend this meeting and give their inputs.
5. NEWS FROM THE METRO
APPOINTMENT OF NEW CITY MANAGER
“…The Executive Mayor, Cllr Zanoxolo Wayile, has welcomed our new City Manager, Dr Lindiwe Msengana-Ndlela, who joined the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality as from today in the presence of, inter alia, the Council Speaker, Cllr Maria Hermans, and former Acting Municipal Manager, Mr Selwyn Thys.
The Mayor said the small informal gathering was a courtesy gesture on the part of the Municipality to ensure that our new City Manager was properly handed over a “driver’s licence” as per all the processes involved.
“This gives us a message of hope, a renewed commitment. We will now be able to look at how we can move forward in employing permanent executive managers,” Wayile said.
Dr Msengana-Ndlela said that she was impressed with the preparations made to ensure that she felt welcome. “I work in teams and I am really honoured and looking forward to become one of the active citizens of this Metro,” she said.
* It should be noted by staff that Dr Msengana-Ndlela will, in line with modern practice, be known as City Manager, not Municipal Manager…”
Dr Lindiwe Msengana-Ndlela is a qualified and experienced administrator who has been appointed to be the Municipal Manager of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality (NMBMM), with effect from 01 March 2013. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and a University Education Diploma from Rhodes University, a Bachelor of Education and a Master of Business Leadership from UNISA, and a PhD (Urban Governance, Leadership and Local Economic Development) from the University of Warwick in the UK.
THE 2013 GENERAL VALUATION ROLL NOW AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION
The 2013 General Valuation Roll is now available for inspection by residents of Nelson Mandela Bay on the municipal website (www.nelsonmandelabay.gov.za) and all customer care centres from today.
Budget and Treasury Portfolio Committee Chairperson, Cllr Balu Naran, encourages residents to use this opportunity to inspect the valuation role on time.
“Please be mindful that as from yesterday, 18 February 2013, the valuation roll is available on our website for inspection until 19 April. The format is very user-friendly and residents should not have a problem accessing the information. However, if there are problems we do have dedicated staff available to deal with enquiries,” he added.
Property owners will receive a mailed notice containing an extract of the Valuation Roll pertaining to their property by the end of this month (February). Residents can call 041 506 5555 if they did not receive the extract to update their information.
Members of the public who wish to object against information on the Valuation Roll can hand deliver the completed objection form at any customer care centre, fax it to 0415065474 or post it to Valuations Office, P.O. Box 834, Port Elizabeth, 6000. They can also visit any customer care centre, call 041 506 5555, e-mail customercare@mandelametro.gov.za or visit www.nelsonmandelabay.gov.za for more information.
ADJUSTMENT BUDGETS:
Council approved its adjustment budget on 28 February 2013. The DA spokesperson for Budget Treasury, Cllr Angelo Dashwood highlighted the following concerns/comments on behalf of the DA at said Council meeting:
“… We are all aware that the budget this year was cut to the bone and then again cut to accommodate the unbudgeted item, Afcon, leaving us with insufficient budget for essential services.
Safety and Security: Disaster relief – R800 000 is needed. There is no budget to cover disaster relief. We are forced to ensure that money is found for the period 01.3.2013 to 30.06.2013.
The fire department budget runs out end of March at best. Beginning April to end June we have no budget, what is the plan? We will be forced to close some fire stations if budget is not found.
Health: On the bucket eradication programme, see page 54 of the adjustments budget, R500 000 was allocated in the budget. No extra funding has been found for this critical item in the adjustments budget. We already have a massive backlog. Speaker, we need to find funds for this critical item very urgently.
Electricity and Energy: Lighting along the N2, we need approximately R2m minimum to cover us until the end of June. We cannot just ignore this issue – already this city has half of its lighting non-functional. By the end of June, if we do not start work now, we will be “in the dark” or at best “dimly lit”.
Infrastructure and Engineering: Stormwater, minor flood control repairs and storm water canal cleaning. We have run out of budget, we need R1.5m to cover us this financial year – or else!
Parks: Bush clearing, rough mowing and weed spraying. R700 000 is needed, our budget is now on the verge of being depleted. Already our city is in a disgraceful state, we cannot allow the city to deteriorate any further. This amount must be found.
The DA must register is grave concern, how can we tell the public – sorry, but you will have to wait until July for service delivery. I plead with our CFO and Acting Municipal Manager to ensure that we address the lack of budget in the areas we have mentioned. I would also ask that we check all directorates and ensure that all essential services are covered…”
BY-LAWS AVAILABLE TO PUBLIC
The Problem Building By-law and Heritage Resources Cultural Institutions By-Laws are available for review in an attempt to enable members of the public to identify areas that they may have a specific interest in or which has a bearing on them so that they may comment thereon before it becomes law.
The abovementioned by-laws are available for scrutinizing in our ward office situated at 78 Kragga Kamma Road, Sunridge Park. Please contact the office on 041 360-0447 to arrange a date and time should you wish to peruse these documents.
6. METRO WATER STATUS
Major Storage Dams supplying the Metro (levels as at 4 March 2013):
- Kouga: 88,5%
- Churchill: 88,7%
- Impofu: 93,9%
- Loerie: 76,3%
- Groendal: 97,6%
- Average all: 90,8% of total combined capacity.
Note: The average dam level is dropping at 1,5 % per week
7. IMPORTANT TELEPHONE NUMBERS:
- Municipal Account Queries: 041 506-5555
- Electricity Emergency: 041 374-4434
- Traffic (all hours): 041 585-1555
- Water Emergency: 080 020 5050
- Tree Maintenance: 041 506-5411/12
- Police: 10111
- Ambulance: 10177
- Fire Emergency Services: 041 585-1555
- Disaster Management: 041 501-7900
- NMBM Security Services: 041 508-5548/5576
8. PERSONAL NEWS:
Thank you to everybody who sent e-mails, messages and sms’s of well wishes w.r.t. my wedding which took place on 9 February 2013. My wife is Leandi Müller (nee Strydom) and I am very proud to welcome her to our Ward 9 ‘family’.
Ward 9 Greetings
