The song goes "There are more questions than answers", and another old saying bemoans the fact that "Just when I figured out all the answers, they changed all the questions". This is how one feels if one reads the minutes of the Makhado council meeting held on March 31.

The most striking impression one gains from the minutes is that the council apparently operates according to a total lack of logic. A motion has been accepted that the recommendations and questions presented to Council by the Soutpansberg Ratepayers Association (SRA), the Transvaal Agricultural Union (TAU) and the Mphephu Territorial Council (MTC) not be included in the Municipal Property Rates Policy. These recommendations and questions were submitted to the municipality as a result of previous decisions regarding the valuation roll, with a view to determining how and when the valuations were done, what criteria were applied, how the rates will be implemented, and so forth. A member of the council admitted that the input of these bodies was indeed valuable and would go some way towards clarifying a number of important issues. Why they were not included, which effectively means that consultation about the matter happened in name only, is not really clear.

In his response to the question, the municipal spokesperson Mr Louis Bobodi, indicated that "the executive committee considered all ... objections/comments/remarks of the SRA, TAU and MTC and could not find a reason why the proposed policy may not be accepted. Therefore they submitted to Council the proposed policy as was attached to the report in this regard". He also indicated that the objections/comments/remarks/questions appeared to be about the Constitution, the Municipal Property Rates Act of 2004 and the Systems Act of 2000 and did not focus on the contents of the policy. "The policy as submitted was already incorporating valid and practical amendments that were collected during public consultation sessions."

Another question that arises is why Council has prepared a preliminary budget, based on the rates determined in the policy (see report elsewhere in the paper). Last week, Council sent out a media release, informing residents that the valuation roll was available for perusal at the municipal offices until April 30, 2008. Residents with questions and objections and those applying for rebates or exemptions can submit these to Council for consideration. However, if Council is already budgeting for projected income, based on the preliminary roll, this could either mean that no changes will be made with regard to the roll or that changes might have to be made later, which might exert an influence on the outcome. Why not wait until the process has been completed?

Mr Bobodi responded to the question about the budget, indicating that "it is standard practice to estimate income to be generated through rates and others when the compilation of the budget is done annually. This is a draft budget and comments by the public will be taken into consideration."