Abuse of municipal funding for painting of flats?
2010-09-23
TWO weeks ago the residents of Blommedal municipal flats in Paarl North were called to a meeting regarding the painting of the building. The municipality asked for a list of names of needy residents of the flats, so that they could be employed to paint the building. We were addressed by Councillor Arthob Petersen and two municipal officials and left us with the understanding that preference would be given to residents of Blommedal. My husband and I did a survey of the buildings, going from flat to flat to collect the names of capable people, which we handed personlly to one of the officials, Mr Norman Konjwayo, as requested. Then we started receiving complaints from residents, because residents of a neighbouring block (La Uva) and even people from Amstelhof had passed the medical check-up required, but people from Blommedal on the list had not been invited to the check-up yet. Later we heard that those who were approached for the project, received application forms to join the ANC. I am concerned that this project is being abused for party-political purposes, and that really needy people in our block are not getting the benefit.
Carol Andrews
May Carolissen, municipal spokesperson, responds: Drakenstein Municipality is implementing the Government initiative/programme on creating job opportunities
In compliance with the programme the Housing Department has embarked on a painting of flats project in
The recruitment of people remains an administrative aspect and Councillor Arthob Petersen is the Portfolio Holder for Housing. He participates on the processes which involves the community.
In 1 September 2010, an information session was held with the tenants of Blommedal Flats for the painting project to recruit unemployed participants.
Six people from Blommedal were identified by Housing Administration.
The list was submitted to the Occupational Health and Safety Officer within the Municipality for medical fitness test. All of them were employed and issued with the uniform.
Out of six, five did not pitch up the next day for work and therefore the uniform was collected.
These five were then replaced by another five unemployed people from Blommendal
The others were recruited from the Ward and there is no-one from Amstelhof.
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