Subcouncil 22

Resolution details

Meeting was held on 28 July 2020

SYNOPSIS

 
­­­­­­­PRESENT:
Cllr Mzuvukile Nikelo (MN) Sub council Chairperson: Ward 16 Councillor Cllr Jerome Fitz (JF) Ward 17 Councillor Cllr Sharlaine Oerson (SO) PR Councillor Xolisile Qwesha:
COCT Officials:
Roxanne Moses (RM) Sub council Manager: Sub council 22 Shirley Lumkwana (SL) Sub council 22 Gavin Campbell (GC)
Province Officials:
Greg de Villiers (Provincial Department of Human Settlements)
Mzi Projects Officials:
Isqak Morrison, Nashieta Holtman
ASLA Officials:
Francois Siebrits
 
Opening:
Cllr Nikelo - welcomed all present.
Discussion:

1. Problematic Consultants
2. Audit of Occupied Houses
3. Illegal Dumping

Opening Remarks
Cllr Fitz 

• Undermining by Western Cape Government
• Audit of all occupied houses & illegal occupation
• Illegal Dumping Campaign to commence on 31^st July,20 in order to eradicate dumping & (distribution of no dumping pamphlet’s)
• Lack of communication by department of Human Settlements
• Councillors not invited to project steering committee meetings
• Confusion created by Consultants

Cllr Nikelo

• Province regarded as a Senior Spear of Government
• City’s role was of engagement & persuasion.

Greg de Villiers

• Provincial Government not working against the City of Cape Town
• Department battling with complexities i.e. 1½billion developments, responsibility towards existing contractors etc.
• What constitutes a clean audit? Name of erven, street address & title deed handover to owner if not the resident owner the title deed to be kept @ 27 Wale Street.
• Department under resourced and therefore not able to police occupancy.
• Department committed to investigating allegations but requires all relevant information / documentation to accompany such claims.
• A project steering committee reviews names put forward by consultants and there after allocation to be vetted by consultants.
• Gerhard Hanekom to mail beneficiaries list –Councillors.

Cllr Nikelo

• Provincial Government custodians of the project & actions according to structures and therefore, the role of local government was an oversight function.
• Requested Councillors not to get involved into practical details of the project & further requested all local vendors be registered on COCT database.

Cllr Fitz

• Under impression that only Mzi Developments were tasked with screening, workshops and administration of applicants.
• Unaware people were moving into houses at night from other areas processed by a different consultancy company.
• Councillors were unable to provide answers when questioned by community.
• Major problems encountered as a result of the (2) two steering committees.
• Submitted a notice of grievance to the Human Settlements Minister for the application of different sets of criteria’s.

Cllr Nikelo

• Provincial Government are responsible for sourcing of beneficiaries.
• Should a steering committee question the very criteria that a provincial government was applying based on a fact that they know of some needy people within an area, was problematic.
•  Provincial means the department tasked to look after a very big area and if a steering committee want to dispute the information.
• One can dispute a malpractice but when a policy says we are building this project with percentages sourced from different areas because we are tasked to house these people why should it be disputed?
• Project started for a purpose when City of Cape Town do oversight we look at the allocation and hold them to task.

Cllr Qwesha

• In support with Cllr Fitz’s proposal
• Allegations / complaints against housing officials
• Plight of elderly disabled couple in (New Beginnings Development) still unresolved –letters to 2 Ministers (to date no response)

Cllr Oerson

• Possibility of Councillors attending site meetings?
• Insufficient information at steering committee meetings
• Councillors not able to feedback effectively on local labour requirements
• Correct platform to be / include the Contractor & CLO.

Greg De Villiers

• Councillors welcome to attend progress / technical meetings.

Resolved:

• Councillors important stakeholders within a steering committee.
• Issues / Matters to be timeously submitted for agenda discussion.
• Advised Councillors not to attend technical meetings as it was not the correct platform.
• Councillors to focus on oversight responsibilities only.
• Corruption allegations with supporting documentation to be channelled to the steering committee for verification then onward to Greg De Villiers for investigation.

 
Meeting concluded: 11:16am
 
Minute taken by: Gavin Campbell