Public consultation by the EC Provincial Legislature
Story: Phumla Ngubo | Photo: Phumla Ngubo
Members of the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature (ECPL) visited the Walter Sisulu local municipal area in a public participation drive to solicit views of the people on community safety, housing, education and rural development (agriculture).
This initiative by the Legislature holds immense importance as it was aimed at promoting active and representative participation towards enabling all community members to meaningfully influence the decisions that affect their lives.
Petitioners from various wards of our municipal area requested that there be more allocation of police vehicles for increased visibility in communities. They also submitted complaints relating to the following challenges: delayed response by police, negative effect of load shedding, poor community involvement in policing matters, police service centres (police stations) have no back-up generators, police are telephonically unreachable, far away police stations and rise in criminal conduct due to increased drug abuse.
Participants in these town-based consultation meetings suggested various ways on how education for children with special needs can be improved as well as the school nutrition programme.
A number of concerns were raised and discussed affecting the Department of Basic Education. For an example, a petitioner from ward 11 asked for help pertaining to a child with special needs and pointed out a lack of school equipment and poor infrastructure and lack of proper maintenance.
The Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDAR) engaged with community members who had requested farm land for mix-farming. A progress report was tabled highlighting that DRDAR has considered a request for oats seeds and a procurement process is underway for the supply and delivery of the oats seeds.
As the Walter Sisulu Local Municipality we understand the significance and importance of such engagements that lead to a progressive legislation, because we seek to foster an inclusive and equitable community leading to shaping a brighter future for all. We seek to leave no one behind.