Buffalo City's IDP submissions to be made virtually

The new normal, with its strict restrictions on gatherings as a result of Covid-19 lockdown regulations, will see Buffalo City Metro residents for the first time making their submissions for the city’s integrated development plan (IDP) virtually.

In previous years metro residents gathered in community halls and stadiums to indicate to the authorities what they wanted to see happening in their wards, and what they want included in the IDP.

But with a ban on gatherings of more than 50 people such meetings will no longer take place, and instead communities have been asked to make their submissions through community radio stations and online platforms.

BCM spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya on Thursday said the city was busy formulating its IDP and budget for the 2020/2021 municipal financial year, which starts in July.

Ngwenya said for the IDP to be fully inclusive, the metro required the public to have a say and give input into the document before it was finalised and adopted by council.

Due to Covid-19 regulations, he said, this would be done via community radio stations and social media platforms.

“As the metro approaches the end of the financial year, it is important that it goes to the people and sources their input on what they want to see in their communities, because BCM has an obligation to consult the community.

“Because of the state of disaster imposed by Covid-19, the city is unable to have people under one roof to participate fully.

“However, using technology has always been part of its communication strategy, and the metro will use social media platforms, print and community radio stations to interact with all its stakeholders.”

The dates of the public participation programmes would  be announced on the municipal website, Ngwenya said.

“We are not doing roadshows yet, but we are conditioning the public to be aware that the municipality is expected to do an IDP and budget roadshow.

“This is to educate the public and make the community aware of the role expected to be played by them when the municipality embarks on these IDP roadshows.”

Last week, BCM mayor Xola Pakati proposed during a virtual council meeting that property rates be hiked by 6.25%.

Pakati said the city also wanted electricity tariffs increased by 6.23%, waste removal and water services by 9.2%, and sewage services by 9.2%.

In addition the metro wants to increase workers’ salaries by 6.2%.

However, councillors did not vote on the matter and demanded a workshop first.

“Council first needs to adopt the draft IDP and budget roadshows for 2020/2021. The report went to council last week and council requested to have a workshop in which they can have an input on the document.”

The workshop took place and BCM would  hold a virtual council meeting on Friday to vote on it, Ngwenya said.

* Ngwenya said the metro had suspended its bus services due to low numbers of pupils attending school.

He said it did not make sense to operate the bus service while many pupils were still at home.

“Because schools have only opened for Grade 7 and 12 this week, we can only dispatch the buses once all pupils are back, otherwise we will have empty buses.”