The dispute between ratepayers and the Makhado Municipality took an interesting turn, with a renewed promise by the municipality at a meeting last week.

“The municipality promised to, within seven working days, deliver a complete document with action plans and target dates when certain services pertaining to the dispute will be implemented. They will compile the document with the help of  CoGTA,” said Ms Inga Gilfillan, chairperson of the Soutpansberg Ratepayers Association (SPRA) this week.

The meeting that was originally scheduled for October 3 did not take place, due to the absence of the municipal manager, but was postponed to October 27. The municipal manager, Mr Shadrack Tshikalange, representatives of the Makhado Local Municipality, as well as the Vhembe District Municipality, CoGTA (Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs), members of the executive committee of the SRPA, their manager and their legal advisor, were present last week.

“To our surprise, the municipal manager denied that there was a dispute and said that it had been solved already,” said Gilfillan. The SRPA reminded the meeting of the fact that the official dispute had been declared on 26 August 2008.

“A meeting similar to this was held between the SRPA and the Makhado and Vhembe Municipalities on October 24, 2008, with promises of target dates and action plans to be announced to the association in January 2009. To date we have not received such, “ the SRPA told the meeting.

The SRPA document that served at the meeting emphasises the five issues that the ratepayers concentrate on in the dispute. These include the contentious issue of property rates, continuous sewerage spilling was brought to the table, as well as the town's chronic water shortages. The poor condition of roads in the industrial area and in different parts of  town  and “huge potholes in Eltivillas – the worst of all problems” was mentioned, as well as the current inconvenience to parents, teachers and surrounding homes, due to the slow progress of the Anderson Street road works near the local high school.

Electricity is a basic service and the supply is often faulty, especially to the Levubu area, resulting in loss of production. “Our letter on prepaid electricity selling points sent to you in February this year, regarding your rates charged for prepaid meters and the request to expand selling points remains unanswered,” the SRPA stated.

“We now await the duly promised action plan and target dates to reach us on November 8 this year,” said Gilfillan.

The Makhado Municipality has been silent on the meeting and has not as yet given any comment, minutes or resolutions of the meeting to the Zoutpansberger.