The State of the Garden Route – Salient Comparative View
“… I always believed that, in South Africa, if we use all our skills and backgrounds we will be unstoppable.” Rassie Erasmus.
Applying this principle and by amongst others putting our differences, titles, public esteem, and power games aside, then together we will succeed. Dr Imtiaz Sooliman refers to being an “unlabelled society.”
We learned from respondents’ feedback and will apply and incorporate it where possible in the follow-up survey which we aim to do in March and April 2024. We will continue to encourage all communities in the Garden Route to “ Be Part of the Solution” As expressed by Steve Pattison of Garden Route Rate Payers Association Alliance “Activism to Actionism” should be the way forward.
Mossel Bay Municipal Manager’s office is the only Garden Route municipality to respond to the survey which was distributed for participation throughout the Garden Route. We do trust that they together with other municipalities will use the survey outcome in collaboration with inclusive residents and business associations to affect positive transparent change.
In the context of The Constitution of South Africa related to the Objects of local government 152, (1) local government are:
(a) to provide a democratic and accountable government for local communities.
(b) to ensure the provision of services to communities in a sustainable manner.
(c) to promote social and economic development.
(d) to promote a safe and healthy environment, and
(e) to encourage the involvement of communities and community organizations in matters of local government.
With reference to section 151, the survey outcome indicated a decline or decay in service delivery by local authorities in the Garden Route. With specific reference to (e ) above, public participation as it is presently being applied is not working and other mechanisms and or formats for engagement with residents and the broader community should be explored.