TWK Munisipaliteit Wen Golden Key Toekening

Kort op die hakke van ‘n tweede plek in die Wes-Kaapse Govan Mbeki-behuisingstoekenning vir die Muisipaliteit-van-die-Jaar, is Theewaterskloof Munisipalieit onlangs met ’n Golden Key-toekenning vir besonderse voldoening aan die Wet op Bevordering van Toegang tot Inligting, Wet 2 van 2000, vereer.
   Die Wet verleen aan almal toegang tot inligting vir die uitoefening of beskerming van individue en gemeenskappe se regte.
   Die Golden Key-toekenning, ’n gesamentlike inisiatief van die Suid-Afrikaanse Menseregte Kommissie en die Oop Demokrasie Adviessentrum, bevorder publieke toegang tot inligting by privaatsektor- en owerheidsinstellings soos munisipaliteite. Vanjaar is 49 inskrywings uit die staatsektor ontvang en is verskeie individue en instansies in verskillende kategorieë vereer.
   Stad Johannesburg is met die Deursigtigheids- en Beskikbaarstellingstoekenning vereer, die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens vir die beste inligtingsbeampte en die Suid Afrikaanse Geskiedenisargief vir die beste reaksie op publieke navrae. Geen toekenning is in die kategorie vir mediabeamptes gedoen nie. Theewaterskloof Munisipaliteit en die premieskantoor in Limpopo het toekennings ontvang vir die wyse waarop hulle die doelwitte van die Wet by die publiek  bevorder.  
   Tydens die onlangse Golden Key-geleentheid by die Eskom Konferensiesentrum in Midrand, is Theewaterskloof Munisipaliteit vir die toepassing van beste praktyk in terme van die betrokke Wet vereer en het die owerheid eervolle vermeding in die kategorie vir toeganklikheid tot en beskikbaarstelling van inligting ontvang.
   Me Alison Tilley, Hoof Uitvoerende Beampte van die Oop Demokrasie Adviessentrum in Kaapstad het Theewaterskloof Munisipaliteit met die toekenning geluk gewens. “Dit is ’n besonderse prestasie as die beperkte finansies en personeel van plaaslike owerhede in ag geneem word. Weens die beperkte bronne van plaaslike owerhede beoog ons volgende jaar ’n kategorie vir kleiner munisipaliteite daar te stel. Theewaterskloof Munisipaliteit het bewys dat hulle met die bestes kan meeding”, het Tilley gesê.
   Raadsheer Chris Punt, Uitvoerende Burgemeester van Theewaterskloof Munisipaliteit het die toekenning vandeesweek aan die publiek en media bekend gestel en gesê die prestasie is ’n huldeblyk vir die owerheid en personeel se vasberadenheid om strukture vir die sinvolle beskikbaarstelling van inligting aan die publiek in stand te hou. “Die Owerheid slaag in dié verband en die toekenning is besonders omdat dit die eerste keer is dat ons ingeskryf het en aangesien die effektiwiteit van plaaslike owerhede, na die Ouditeur-Generaal se onlangse verslag oor finansiële bestuursgebreke by munisipaliteite, tans erg onder verdenking is. Boonop is ons, afgesien van Stad Johannesburg die enigste munisipalitet wat ’n Golden Key-toekenning ontvang het.”, het Punt gesê.
   Vroeër vanjaar het Theewaterskloof Munisipaliteit ook presteer toe die owerheid, na Knysna munisipaliteit, tweede geëindig het in die Wes-Kaap se Govan Mbeki-behuisingstoekenning vir munisipaliteite. Dié kompetisie het munisipaliteite vereer vir die suksesvolle vestiging van gedienste woonbuurte, die opgradering van informele woongebiede, die ontwikkeling van individue se vermoëns en die implementering van volhoubare behuising en werkskepping.
   Punt het gesê dat die toekennings die munisipaliteit tot verdere effektiewe dienslewering aan die publiek aanmoedig en dat dit aantoon dat die owerheid daarin slaag om die lot van almal, maar veral die arm gemeenskappe te verbeter.

The Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) in the Western Cape will this week (1st – 7th Sept) distribute 15 058 trees to communities through partners in the provincial and local government as well as Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Community Based Organisations (CBOs) and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in celebrating National Arbor Week.  Some 8 600 fruit trees will also be handed out to previously disadvantaged communities.

Trees distributed throughout the Western Cape will add to the Plant a Million Trees campaign launched by President Thabo Mbeki and the Minister of DWAF Ms L Hendricks at Garankuwa in Pretoria last year. The Department planted a national total of 681 749 trees since the launch, and will exceed the target of a Million trees during Arbor Week 2008.

Minister Lindiwe Hendricks will lead this initiative by planting trees at a newly established park in the Lamontville Township in Durban to mark the launch of Arbor Week 2008 on 1st September.  Under the theme Plant trees – save our planet, the launch of Arbor Week will set the stage for similar events around the country. 

“The emphasis for this year’s celebration in our province is on sustainability and spreading the message of hope.  Not only will we be providing food by planting fruit trees, we will also be encouraging sustainability of greening projects already underway in communities and addressing some of the social ills in these communities” emphasised Mr Khan, the Chief Director of DWAF in the Western Cape. 

Grabouw will be celebrating its Greening and Sustainable Food Gardening project aimed at creating an even greener landscape in the surroundings of Grabouw, which in turn will create a sense of ownership and add to social cohesion among the beneficiaries (local communities).

“We are pleased that our partners have heeded the call to join in activities of the National Arbor Week and will be planting trees at communities and schools as well as linking celebrations with fundamental challenges in communities”, he continued.

“The campaign is significant this year in that some of our partners have opted to utilise Arbor Week events to involve the youth in greening programmes, the Langa community will be greening an open space at Ndlwana Way opposite Joe Slovo informal settlement, known for harboring unsavory elements, to convert it into a play park.  The communities of Lawaaikamp, Cornville, Borchards and Parkdene will be addressing drug challenges amongst the youth” added Susan Steyn, Manager of Forestry in the WC.

The campaign also includes the greening of South Africa which is aimed at changing the country’s vegetation landscape.  Other activities include visits by Cape Nature in ‘Oudtshoorn to plant trees at local rural and farm Schools in and around Oudtshoorn from Ladismith in the Western Section to Uniondale in the Eastern Section including Prince Albert in the Northern Section, The City of Cape Town planting in Mitchell’s Plain and schools in the metro. 

The Arbor Week campaign is aimed at achieving the following objectives:

1. To promote improved knowledge of trees particularly indigenous trees and their importance.
2. To stress the necessity for the public to contribute to the greening of South Africa by planting and caring for trees.
3. To highlight the vital roles of trees in the natural environment.
4. To contribute to the achievement of green, dignified and healthy environments in all parts of the country.
5. To encourage the youth to participate in tree planting activities and related environmental education programmes

This year’s Trees of the Year are the Wild Plum, Harpephyllum caffrum, the Bladder-nut, Diospyros whyteana and the Bell Bean Tree, Markhamia zanzibarica.

Annual Provincial Govan Mbeki Housing Awards

Theewaterskloof Municipality was honoured to receive  second place  as Municipality of the year in the Provincial Govan Mbeki Housing Awards held on Thursday 24th July 2008 in Cape Town.

The award was received by  the Executive Mayor, Ald Chris Punt and the Municipal Manager, Mr Stan Wallace.

The Provincial Minister of Local Government and Housing of the Western Cape,Minister Richard Dyantyi made a special reference to the improvement which Thewaterskloof Municipality made during 2006/07 with Subsidized Housing.

The evaluation process focused on a variety of  key performance areas such as the development of sustainable human settlements, upgrading programmes for informal areas, capacity building and the provision of housing and job creation.

The adjudication was performed by an evaluating team consisting of representatives of the National and Provincial Housing Departments, Housing Institutions and recognised Building Associations.

The Executive Mayor gave the assurance that Theewaterskloof Municipality will strive for first place at  next years awards, as this years runner up was not  far behind the winning Municipality of Knysna.

The Provincial winners will compete later this year for the National Awards.