To engage with residents, learn about the challenges they face, and identify where the Kouga Municipality can improve on service delivery, executive mayor, Hattingh Bornman, has embarked on his 15 Wards in 15 Days’ campaign on August 21 when he plans to “walk through every corner of the municipality.”
Bornman said that earlier this month he invited all communities to connect with the municipality throughout August and September at various informative Kouga Mayoral Public Engagements across the region.
As part of the public engagements, he said that he had decided to embark on a “15 Wards in 15 Days” campaign to engage with as many residents as possible.
“I want to walk the streets in every corner of the municipality, to witness first-hand the prevalent challenges facing our communities and to identify where we need to improve levels of service delivery,” he said.
Bornman, who was elected Executive Mayor at an Ordinary Council Meeting on June 30, said that it was critical, particularly as a new mayor, to visit every ward in the municipality.
“No one community is more important than the other,” said Bornman.
He further said that he was committed to not being a desk-bound mayor, and wants to make himself and the municipality more open and accessible to all residents.
Bornman said that the campaign forms an integral part of government public participation processes.
He said that the engagements are aimed at bringing local government closer to the people, by interacting with communities regarding service delivery requests, upcoming service delivery projects in their areas, and progress on existing projects.
Bornman said that the programme will further include an opportunity for community members to ask questions and give comment on government programmes being run in Kouga.
“The highlighted challenges are immediately reported to the relevant departments within the municipality, and I will also personally be returning to these communities to provide feedback,” said Bornman.
“The engagements are a two-way communication system aimed at presenting the municipal service delivery report and community involvement in decision-making processes of the municipality – bringing council closer to the people.”
Bornman said that their decision to continuously engage with the residents remained a primary focus of the municipality.
“Our people are at the heart of everything we do,” said Bornman.
As part of his 15 Wards in 15 Days’ visit, from August 21 to 30, he visited Loerie, Thornhill, various parts of Humansdorp, Kwanomzamo, Hankey, Milton, Kleinfontein, Weston, Patensie, Andriekraal, Cockscombe, Ramaphosa Village, Wavecrest, Kabeljous, Mentorskraal, Jeffreys Bay, Paradise Beach, St Francis Bay, and Cape St Francis.
As he concludes his campaign, he will be visiting Sea Vista, Oyster Bay, Umzamowethu, Leeubos and Lower Golf Course on September 11, while on September 12 he will visit Aston Bay, Marina Martinique, Pellsrus, and part of Mandela Bay.
Finally, on September 13, he will be in Tokyo Sexwale, the remaining sections of Mandela Bay and Ocean View.
