Inconsistencies in the Makhado council’s way of dealing with important matters continue to raise questions amongst residents of Louis Trichardt and other stakeholders. The latest questions have arisen around Council’s decision to continue with the auctioning off of more than 150 erven in Eltivillas.

In last week’s Zoutpansberger, the matter of two items that were removed from the agenda of Council’s meeting on 31 March was reported. These items dealt with the Council’s Executive Committee’s (Exco) decision to enforce a moratorium on any new dense developments in town, largely because of the lack of sufficient infrastructure in town in terms of electricity supply and sewage. No explanation was given for the removal of the items, which led to confusion about whether or not the moratorium was still in place. Council spokesperson Mr Louis Bobodi later confirmed that the moratorium would remain.

In the same agenda, a recommendation by the Exco that more than 150 erven in Eltivillas be sold on auction is accepted and approved. This is a direct contradiction of the decision to prohibit any further property developments until the overburdened infrastructure can cope with such developments.

The Soutpansberg Ratepayers Association (SRPA) is questioning this decision and has made a formal enquiry to the municipal manager, Ms Faith Muthambi, to explain the apparent double standards being applied.

In his letter to Muthambi, Mr Herman Smith of the SRPA applauds the Exco, saying that the "Exco should be congratulated on a logical foresight and recommendations that seem to be taking reality into consideration. The person(s) responsible for removing these two submissions from the agenda are still living in a world of make-believe and do not heed the overall collapsing of local and national infrastructure or maybe have hidden agendas".

Smith also made a recommendation that the envisaged subdivisions be made and the erven be sold, but on condition that no development can take place until such time that the necessary infrastructure can be supplied. This recommendation was rejected by Council, on the basis that "it will raise expectations". Smith rejects this allegation, contending that "no expectations can be raised when the agreement between the applicant and the Makhado Municipality determines that ‘services (water, electricity and sewage connections) will only be provided WHEN the services are fully restored’ and the municipality will be able to cope". If a purchaser is prepared to go ahead with the transaction under these conditions, the person is bound by these provisions and has to abide by them until the moratorium has been lifted.

Smith also requests an explanation of why the moratorium only concerns densification and not larger residential developments, such as Eltivillas and extension 13. By the same token, he wants to know why every decision has to be based on recommendations by consultants if employees of the municipality are supposed to have the necessary knowledge and experience to deal with these matters.

Elsewhere in the newspaper, plans on how the municipality intends to deal with the current situation and the intervention by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry in an effort to augment the town’s dilapidated infrastructure are reported. The effect of an additional 150 plus households on the current situation remains to be seen.