The Speaker of Council has moved to assure members of the public that all Integrated Development Plan (IDP) processes are suspended until post the 21-day national lockdown.
Cllr Nonceba Molwele says she regrettably learned of the unauthorised publication of scheduled IDP consultation meetings on the City’s website, a matter which caused panic and confusion among residents.
Molwele has discussed the matter with the City Manager, Dr Ndivhoniswani Lukhwareni who pointed out that he had not issued the instruction either.
In another incident, an unapproved IDP consultation programme was printed on municipal bills and sent to residents recently. “I have instructed Dr Lukhwareni to compile a report on how these mishaps happened,” she says.
Speaker Molwele reiterates that all-City of Joburg council sittings are suspended along with previously scheduled IDP consultations, in compliance with public health regulations gazetted for the 21-day national lockdown, meant to flatten the curve of the infectious Covid-19 pandemic.
A notice alerting councillors of the cancellation of council meetings scheduled for 31 March and 1 April 2020 has already been issued and reports prepared for consideration at those meetings were delivered directly. “The notice was accompanied by reports that were to be considered at those meetings including IDP, tariffs and the DBSA loan,” she explains.
The Government of Local Unity is committed to ensuring that the public’s constitutional right to participate in the running of government through IDP consultations is protected at all times as required by law, says Molwele.
“I will communicate information on the resumption of IDP consultation meetings as soon as there is certainty on the normal resumption of business, as guided by the public health regulations for the lockdown,” she says.
Information regarding IDP consultation meetings will also be communicated through newspapers, community radio stations, and social media networks as well as various other media platforms. Residents are urged to ignore all unauthorised communiqué sent out with their utility bills.
