Local taxpayers feel that their input into the integrated development planning (IDP) was ignored and that the Makhado Municipality only paid them lip service.

Mr Herman Smith of the Soutpansberg Rate Payers Association (SRPA) expressed his disgust at the breaching of the promises that proposals of priority needs by the association would be taken into account, considered for the 2007/8 financial year and discussed with the SRPA.

"The taxpayers’ inputs were ignored in what appears to be fraudulent actions and misleading statements by municipal officials. The taxpayer’s time was wasted by unproductive meetings that now appear to be no more than window dressing by officials," Mr Smith said on May 29.

At an IDP representative forum meeting on May 23 at the show ground hall, a draft IDP with project proposals was made available. The meeting was told by Director Peter Magwala that written proposals could be brought to the office the following day, due to time restrictions at the meeting. It appeared that none of the written proposals was taken into serious immediate consideration.

DA Councillor Brian du Plooy said on May 28 that the meeting was mere lip service in the sense that it took place just a few days before the tabling of the budget.

According to the draft IDP, the Eltivillas sewage pump station has an allocation of R4,5million to be implemented in the 2009/10 financial year. An amount of R3,5million was budgeted for the upgrading of sewage ponds and maintenance of the town’s sewage system, also during the same financial year.

The Sinthumule/Kutama/Louis Trichardt/AFB Bulk reticulation and Nooitgedacht boreholes were one project budgeted for in each of the next three financial years.

The Makhado graveyard´s extension was up for the financial year 2008/9 for an amount of R1million.

Roads on the list for the 2007/8 financial year included Louis Trichardt CBD streets (R3.3million), industrial streets (R2million) and Extension 1&2 Eltivillas road surface (R2million).

During the budget speech this week, the mayor said that "the municipality has consulted our community stakeholders and sector departments widely on the 2007/8 IDP and budget review process." Cllr Mashaba said that the ward councillors, together with the community stakeholders in their respective wards, have collected and submitted priority needs from communities and these needs would form the basis of the IDP process over the next five years.

Ratepayers at the IDP meeting last week emphasised the priority of having an upgraded and extended sewage system in place before new developments are approved. This would avoid a looming disaster and health hazard.