Who and what is AfriForum?

AfriForum is an Afrikaans civil rights organisation that protects the rights of minority groups at national as well as provincial level, and anyone who can identify with AfriForum’s principles and objectives may join the organisation. AfriForum’s community plan focuses on mobilising communities to thus take control of their own streets and neighbourhoods again. AfriForum ensures that your constitutional and civil rights are recognised and protected at national level.

Wie en wat is AfriForum?

AfriForum is ’n Afrikaanse burgerregteorganisasie wat die regte van minderheidsgroepe op sowel nasionale as provinsiale vlak beskerm, en enigiemand wat met AfriForum se beginsels en doelstellings kan identifiseer, mag by die organisasie aansluit. AfriForum se gemeenskapsplan fokus daarop om gemeenskappe te mobiliseer om só weer beheer terug te neem oor hul eie strate en woonbuurtes. AfriForum verseker dat jou grondwetlike én burgerregte op nasionale vlak erken en beskerm word.

AfriForum asks for clarity on JB Marks’ “Best Performing Municipality” award

AfriForum’s Potchefstroom branch yesterday sent a formal letter to the organisers of the South African Property Owners Association (SAPOA) requesting that the full assessment criteria and processes used to designate the JB Marks Local Municipality as the best performing municipality in the North West be made public. SAPOA announced the best performing municipalities on 2 October during a gala event at Sun City.

Although AfriForum welcomes recognition for good municipal governance, the organisation finds this award extremely problematic considering the serious and ongoing problems with service delivery experienced by residents of Potchefstroom, Ventersdorp and surrounding areas.

These include numerous water leaks, sewage pollution and blockages, non-working street and traffic lights, faded road markings and streets full of potholes. In addition, the Municipality’s Eskom debt has increased from zero to more than R500 million in less than two years, while key figures in management, including the current municipal manager, are being investigated for corruption.

In the letter, AfriForum requests that the following information be made available to the public: The assessment criteria and weighting factors used; the names and independence of the assessment panel; the data or evidence provided by the Municipality; and whether service delivery problems, financial mismanagement and corruption investigations were considered in the assessment.

According to Alta Pretorius, District Coordinator for AfriForum in the Mooi River, it is unthinkable that a municipality in such a state of disrepair would be awarded the best performer in the province. Unless the assessment criteria and the way in which they were applied are made public, such awards undermine public trust and are certainly very questionable.

“AfriForum believes that transparency and accountability are non-negotiable when assessing performance in local government, especially where recognition affects the credibility of communities that bear the consequences of poor governance on a daily basis,” concludes Pretorius.

Get involved with the Potchefstroom AfriForum branch and neighbourhood watch and help keep your environment safe. Contact Douglas Bourn on 083 232 1020 to join the branch and Cornelia Blignaut on 073 390 4133 to join the neighbourhood watch.