GOOD statement by Marius van Stade,
GOOD Stellenbosch Municipality Councillor
7 May 2024
The GOOD Party has submitted a formal complaint to the Minister of Local Government, Anton Bredell, to investigate the Executive Authority of Stellenbosch Municipality for denying the local community their legislative right to public participation.
At a meeting on 21 February 2024, Council resolved to advertise the Botmaskop Estate Development land swap agenda item for public participation after the GOOD Party raised their objections against the land swap.
The developer of the Botmaskop Estate Development has requested the Council to exchange prime property of Stellenbosch Municipality, known as erf 3363, and the remainder of farm 333, for their property known as portion 2 of 490.
It must be noted that the developer’s property is located in a ditch with a much lower land value.
The Executive Mayor and her Mayoral Committee supported the land swap of municipal land to the private developer, while the same municipal land was promised to build subsidised and affordable houses for residents of Idas Valley in Stellenbosch.
GOOD Party Councillor Marius van Stade has received complaints from several communities who are not being afforded an opportunity to give their input or comment on the housing development project. Upon inquiry, the Corporate Services Director, Ms Annalene de Beer confirmed that the advertisement for public comment and input was advertised in Die Burger newspaper and not the local newspaper, the EikestadNuus.
Stellenbosch Municipality has always used the EikestadNuus, a free local newspaper to communicate or to publish notices to the local community because the local newspaper is free of charge and accessible to residents. However, the advertisement of Botmaskop Estate Development was treated differently, and the local community was excluded from public participation.
Residents are upset and intend to protest before the elections to express their dissatisfaction with the non-public participation and the exclusion of the majority of Stellenbosch residents and ratepayers to benefit a selected few.
The GOOD Party has therefore submitted a formal complaint to the MEC in terms of Chapter 4, Sections 21, 21(1)(a)(b) and 16, 16(1)(a)(v), (b)(i)(ii) of the Local Municipal Systems Act, Act 32 of 2000 which allows for local community participation and participatory governance. Section 152 (1) emphasises the importance of community participation and involvement in matters of local government.
The Stellenbosch Municipality has deliberately excluded the residents from public participation while the integrity and credibility of the Municipality has been compromised.
The GOOD Party is concerned about the housing backlog and rising backyard housing structures while the Municipality has failed to use public municipal land to address these housing needs.
Over the past ten years, the DA-led Administration and Executive Authority failed to use public land to address the spatial injustices of the Apartheid era while municipal land is sold for profit and developed for the elites and wealthy only.
Media Enquiries:
Janke Tolmay, GOOD Media Manager
Cell: 073 367 1223
Email: janke@forgood.org.za