WE are concerned about the cost of workshops presented by the department of Social Services at Drakenstein Municipality, especially the workshop concerning Youth Day 2009.
The “healing” art workshop, which involved about 60 young people in Mbekweni, cost more than R300 000, including catering of R20 000 and the cost of a book produced after the event. The books cost more than R200 000 to print.
About 60 cameras were purchased and 30 laptops rented and used by young people to take and download photographs for the book titled “Picture our Reality”, in remembrance of June 16. The cameras have not been used since.
The workshop culminated in the painting of a large art canvas as part of a “roving art exhibition”. The steel frames needed to hang the artwork for the display cost R18 000 and now lie in storage.
The workshop was outsourced to a Cape Town company at great expense, while lower quotes from local service providers were not accepted.
Further art projects have included training in film making (R77 000) and African drumming (R50 000). Few people have expressed interest, and the drums now lie unused at the Thusong Community Centre in Mbekweni.
We hope that training organised by the Municipality’s Community Development section will include training in more suitable job-related skills in future.
Concerned
May Carolissen, municipal spokesperson, responds: We note with great concern that the facts contained in the letter are obscured and compromised by a mixture of half-truths, incorrect figures, inferences and statements.
The cameras which were bought, are available at the different municipal libraries for the use of the community. All projects in Social Services have the permission of the Mayoral Committee and went through all the procurement processes.
The successes of these workshops were reported in the Paarl Post to the members of the public, and via the current IDP Review process (August/September) to ward councillors and ward committees.
It would appear that this letter could be a weak attempt to discredit an official of council or a subtle attempt to launch the 2011 local government elections.
