Greetings.

This matter filed with Dikgatlong municipality and council many times. Pointless, useless. Communication systems are jeopardized. The email address on mun. websites does not work. The email address on mun. statements are NEVER REPLIED to. When sending an email you should get an automatic/instant reply and case number. The call centre (person with a WA line) does not read messages (counting 23 days now, a repeat issue). Councilor ward 2 and other councilors do not reply, ever. Our town is in SICK state and failing communication surely does not help the situation. In this regard, we ask that law be designed so that email systems are incorporated by ALL municipalities, which would provide you with CONFIRMATIONS OF RECEIPT AUTOMATICALLY and case numbers. MANDATORY!

Go open Dikgatlong mun. website. Navigate to documents that MUST BE PUBLISHED on mun. website. That is, all documents of public interest! You will see ZERO documents, more than a decade later! The law REQUIRES IT to be published. I filed this complaint with municipality, call centre, councilor ward 2, etc. NO REPLY. NO NOTHING. Not adhering to law. Disrespecting the law. Unfit for these positions. Information is intentionally withheld from public scrutiny. I requested that these documents be sent (e-files). NO REPLIES. It includes basic info: fin. statements, budgets, by-laws (non-existent), building regulations (non-existent), strategic plans, reports, etc. ***Please ensure compliance within e.g. 21 days and check up. With that, surprisingly, Frances Baard District mun. (inclusive of Dikgatlong mun.) received a clean audit (surprised because of what we see in real life on the ground... questioning if ANY funds were spent to improve town). By law, to get a clean audit, add this criteria: ALL THESE DOCUMENTS MUST APPEAR ON MUN. WEBSITE BEFORE A CLEAN AUDIT CAN BE GIVEN! IT MUST REACH THE PUBLIC EYE FIRST.

Next, because some municipalities don't bother to check. test, create and apply bylaws, or have outdated ones, come up with a solution, e.g. set up basic generic bylaws (incl. fines), which would apply where municipalities don't have applicable bylaws. Ex. noise nuisance levels not allowed, trashing in public space, burning trash in public space, urinating in public, dealing with stenches, building regulations (min//max distances, heights, etc.), etc.

Also a suggestion: weak municipalities (incompetent management) could learn from the best municipalities. The best rated municipalities should assign a representative or 3 to travel (gov. must pay), visit and advise the weakest municipalities all over the country. Spread good influence and working ideas. Weak municipalities lack vision, ideas and good working examples of effective systems.

Lastly, any municipal employees in management positions and councillors should have proper education in the field of municipal management and law. Adopt a specific academic course that must be passed at a high level ex. 80%. Knowledge is key. In the long run it will pay off. Municipal management is not game. You work with public funds! Residents should not educate municipality or councillors on laws!

END.