PIET MARAIS
Residents of Bushman’s River Mouth gathered at the Bushman’s Town Hall recently for a crucial follow-up meeting with Ndlambe Municipality’s Finance and Community Protection Services directorates. Initiated by Integrated Development Plan (IDP) Manager René Uren, the engagement aimed to shift from general discussion to concrete answers around service delivery, municipal spending, and future planning.
The meeting followed years of frustration over perceived neglect and underrepresentation—sentiments Mayor Khululwa Ncamiso vowed to address by deploying her top management team to face the community directly. (TOTT, 17 June 2025.)
“If we come back here now, and all that people say to you is, ‘yes, we agree to that, but there’s a problem with finance,’ it basically doesn’t take us anywhere,” Uren said, underscoring the need for transparency and detailed feedback.
Rates, expenditure and ward-based spending
Ndlambe’s Chief Financial Officer, Michael Klaas, and Fanie Fouché, Deputy Director of Community and Protection Services, fielded residents’ questions at the meeting on 26 June, including calls for a breakdown of rates and taxes collected from Ward 3 over the past three budget years. Bushman’s residents also demanded clarity on how those funds had been allocated across Bushman’s, Marselle, and Klipfontein, and what the projected funding was for 2025/26, particularly for maintenance and capital projects.
Klaas explained that while financial systems do not currently allow for ward-specific breakdowns, property rates are largely earmarked for roads, traffic departments, and streetlights. Services like water, refuse, and sanitation fall under “trading services,” where revenue directly supports operational costs.
One concern was the shortfall in infrastructure maintenance, with the municipality spending only 4 percent of asset value annually, instead of the recommended 8 percent. This underinvestment has led to a reactive approach to issues such as burst water pipes, compounded by dependency on grants like the Municipal Infrastructure Grant, which prioritises historically underserved areas.
The R14 million cost of closing the Marselle landfill site—and the staggering R250 million required to shut all sites across Ndlambe—was another major talking point. Klaas outlined plans to create two regional landfill sites and town-based transfer stations to support recycling and limit environmental penalties.
MFMA Section 67 and co-delivery potential
A standout proposal from residents involved the use of Section 67 of the Municipal Finance Management Act, which enables partnerships between the municipality and third-party providers. Klaas acknowledged the potential for such collaborations, emphasising community good will and the need to establish compliant frameworks that could improve delivery and reduce costs.
“We are in this together. Let us join hands and discuss how we are going to do this,” he said, inviting further participation in shaping local solutions.
Safety and community oversight
The Community and Protection Services directorate addressed rising concerns around vandalism of municipal infrastructure and broader safety risks. Residents called for stronger preventative measures and more visible engagement from municipal teams.
Despite frustration over service disparities and shrinking revenue from traditional sources like water and electricity, officials urged continued dialogue and community involvement.
The meeting concluded with a mutual commitment to transparency, collaboration, and refining planning processes—suggesting that while challenges remain, Ward 3 may be entering a more inclusive chapter of governance.
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This article was first published in Talk of the Town, July 10, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
