Ekurhuleni’s woeful Covid-19 plan for Public Participation
Joint statement by Cllr. Malcolm Maifala —
DA Spokesperson for Public Participation & Petitions in Ekurhuleni, and;
Cllr. Sboniso Khali — DA Member of the Public Participation & Petitions Oversight Committee in Ekurhuleni
Date: 30 March 2021
Release: Immediate
Type: Media statement
The City of Ekurhuleni’s (CoE) plan to roll out and implement an effective public participation plan in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic is woefully inadequate and fails to consider the realities of inequality that beset our society.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Ekurhuleni recognises that a fair and just society cannot exist with large-scale inequality. This inequality is demonstrated through the ever-increasing digital divide between rich and poor, where the majority of the City’s residents do not have access to internet, while a wealthy minority enjoy uncapped access. This lockdown associated with the Covid-19 pandemic has enhanced this divide, as digital engagement becomes an increasingly important strategy for the City to ensure public participation.
The ANC Coalition-led CoE failed to capture these realities in their public participation plan presented at the Council Meeting of the 24th of March 2021. Instead, the plan was more of a box ticking exercise and a form of malicious compliance, which fails to reach the minimum legislative requirements in ensuring community views are fairly represented.
The Department failed to incorporate the imposed lockdown limitations on society in holding public meetings. The plan also failed to reveal how it would be funded, and lacked detail regarding timeframes. Most critically, however, it lacked any explanation on how it would promote inclusive participation from the public given the contextual realities of Covid-19 and burgeoning inequality.
Public participation is a cornerstone to our democracy and a critical element in ensuring that the voices of our community are heard regardless of their socio-economic position. The event of Covid-19 has undoubtedly posed challenges to the participation process; however, it is the responsibility of the Metro to implement plans that continue to support these processes, mainly through the use of technology.
The ANC Coalition-led CoE’s strategy of business-as-usual is woefully inadequate and demonstrates just how out of touch they are with the current realities that are affecting residents. The DA will continue to hold the Department to account to ensure that an adequate public participation process is followed that considers the contexts that shape our society.
Cllr. Malcolm Maifala
DA Spokesperson for Public Participation & Petitions in Ekurhuleni
Cllr. S’boniso Khali
DA Member of the Public Participation & Petitions Oversight Committee in Ekurhuleni
