27th July 2007, Page 4 - Edition 197

The Midlands Herald

Page 4 — 27th July 2007

Police to comment following spate of crime in Howick area Following a spate of criminal activity in the Howick area two weeks ago, representatives from the Midlands Crisis and Trauma Centre and ward councillor Tim Lindsay-White met last week and had a productive and positive discussion with the station commander of Howick SAPS, Senior

Superintendent Robert Gwala and his CID head, Captain Naidoo. It is understood that arrests were made following the incidents, the situation is being followed up, preventive measures being put in place, and that a full joint press release is to be issued shortly.

Farmers unhappy with MM’s approach to fire disaster The chairman of the Howick & District Landowners Association, Bobby Hoole, has expressed farmers’ unhappiness with the municipality’s attitude towards their role in the recent fire disaster. After the fire Mr Hoole wrote to municipal manager Dumisani Vilakazi to attempt to understand their responsibility regarding fighting fires and their implementing a disaster management plan, if there was one. He was subsequently invited to address the Manco meeting on 19th July, and attended with Jakes Oosthuizen, a seasoned fire campaigner who had been instrumental in the committee that drafted the Veld and Forest Fire Act 101 (1998). In the meeting Mr Oosthuizen highlighted his concern that the municipality is still not a member of the Lions River Fire Protection Association, despite the fact that the Act requires that it join. Mr Vilakazi replied, he said, that the function of fire-fighting was not the municipality’s responsibility as there are four tiers of government, including the district municipality too. Mr Hoole told him he was passing the

buck as uMngeni may fund the vehicles and staff that are based in Dicks Street, but uMngeni naturally controls the operations. When he requested details of uMngeni’s disaster management planning, Mr Vilakazi said that this was in the process of being formed and nothing was in place yet. He then referred him to the uMgungundlovu District Council, which does have a disaster management plan. When Mr Hoole asked him if he could send his own report of the meeting to councillors so that they can consider it and have firsthand knowledge of his concerns during and after the fire, Mr Vilakazi said he would submit his own report. Mr Hoole then reminded him that at the beginning of the meeting Mr Vilakazi had said that the three components of local government — viz. councillors, the administration (municipality) and the community — functioning together meant success. “Now that I have requested my report to be sent through based on our discussion you refuse to send it through,” Mr Hoole pointed Continued on page 8

Ethics and business — The real purpose of business Dr Martin Prozesky was the uMngeni Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s guest speaker at its AGM at the Fern Hill Hotel on 20th June. Dr Prozesky is director of the Department of Ethics of the Unilever Centre at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Pietermaritzburg, which was set up ten years ago and still today is generously funded by Unilever. Dr Prozesky, who works in the area of applied ethics, asked his audience: “What is ethics?” In reply, he said, “It is not about what you should not do, but about success.” People always seek success and a sense of wellbeing — “lasting wellbeing, especially that which Above: Dr Martin Prozesky. cannot be taken away from you.” Wellbeing can be viewed in terms of health, security, friendship, respect and a feeling of happiness. He pointed out that every single culture in the world has the same basic core, and then outlined three points concerning the vital tie between ethics and business. Firstly, ethics needs successful business. The real purpose of business is not to make money but to remain in business. Indeed, ethics needs business that is profitable and lastingly so. What are we hearing — in terms of ethics — from people in successful business? Secondly, why is it that business needs ethics? “Ethics” is the key to success in business, its magic word since customers, clients and other businesses all conduct trans-

actions with those they trust. Are buyers happy with the service? What is the truth of customer interest (i.e. what does market research reveal)? To get the product to be the best it can be, one needs the best possible people in the business, and, for example, in the workplace itself, a heavy-handed leader will get compliance but not commitment. Thirdly, what are the steps one can take to implement in business? a) Leadership: The leader is very visible and if he or she is not deeply trustworthy, that person will not obtain the best standard of work from staff; b) Need for education: Ethics is partly about enhancing the goodness in us and although education works slowly, there are lasting horizons. (One can make an impression in 20 minutes in teaching ethics, but much more time is needed); c) Resources: It needs active, visible support from the higher echelon and includes money. In conclusion he said that the triple bottom-line concept of ethics in business consists of the financial aspect, one’s environment and the need for a social responsibility. This last point is the real one — a social responsibility of respect, justice, fairness, and putting a brake on selfishness and unfairness. During question time he produced the thought-provoking saying: “Laws produce a society that complies fearfully; ethics produces the commitment, love, respect etc that society needs.” At best, mere laws or legality is a minimum ethic, and in terms of behaviour the word, “decent”, is far more important than the word “lawful”. Asked what can business do, he suggested that the Chamber lobby for effective policing of issues in the community.

Letters to the Editor • Letters to the Editor • Letters to the Editor • Letters to the Editor • Letters to the Editor • Letters to the Editor • Letters to the Editor • Letters to

Quarterly Report of the Chief Financial Officer, uMngeni Municipality Dear Sir, The Quarterly report for June 2007 just received reveals the following:- Salary and Wages Vote Overspent (R2 970 219), Savings Remuneration of Councillors R1 165 162, Interest external loans R1 759 991, Income under-recovered for Property Rates R17 027 916, user charges for services R2 358 456 and Income overrecoveries for Grants and subsidies R1 155 599. There are numerous other under- and overrecoveries but insufficient to meet the deficit. The rates problem is attributed to farmers. The Debtor’s analysis reveals the total outstanding as at 30 June 2007 as R98 611 711.08 of which R80 993 603.29 is 150 days or more. Rates debtors are reflected as R48 375 816.74 and water debtors as R25 483 696.52. Perhaps the M.E.C. Finance could comment hereon together with the Portfolio Committee on Finance. The now-infamous uMngeni budget Nalini Naidoo’s article on 20 July, headed “uMngeni Budget under fire”, is pertinent. Notwithstanding that “complex” ratepayers and the Concerned Ratepayers Group

made available substantial documentation to MPPs Scott and Tarr reflecting the poor performance of uMngeni Municipality the MPPs were quoted in subsequent articles stating that the municipality’s record was above reproach. Now it would seem that the “unholy Alliance” of Mayor and Manager need to be recalled to explain subsequent developments. It is incongruous that the performance bonus percentage is reflected as considerably higher than that previously awarded to Dr. Michael Sutcliffe (75%) by eThekwini. Any percentage above that is beyond the pale. Only misdirected political support could reflect the uMngeni figure. Scott states that there is legislation in the pipeline from National Government to limit the capacity of municipalities to determine rates randage. In fact this legislation already exists. Section 20 of the PRA provides that the Minister (DPLG) may proclaim a percentage limitation on rate randage increases. This year of course the rate randage decreased because of the revaluation and such power was of course ineffective. More seriously, DPLG have stated in correspondence that it is not obligatory for the Minister to issue a Proclamation. Can ratepayers therefore expect another unbridled increase in 2008/2009 ? A senior Parliamentarian has stated that the above is not in the spirit of the legislation.

With the substantial adverse criticism carried in the article, M.E.C. Zweli Mkize will be hard pressed to explain his Department’s failure to prevent the present situation developing as the Minister of finance has delegated this function to him. Claude Edwards, Concerned Ratepayers/ Residents Group, Howick

Recycle centre disregard of procedure and public Sir, In response to the letter by uMngeni Municipal Manager F D Vilakazi in respect of the Recycle Center blunder “The Facts “ published in Village Talk, 4 July 2007. Mr Vilakazi insinuates in his letter that proper authority was obtained. He is called upon to prove his statements. Evidence to the contrary suggests that neither the Planning Department nor the Planning Committee were consulted, nor plans approved by the Building Inspectorate at that time. As a consequence, due process of the administration itself was not followed. Now court action is in progress one senses the Municipal Manager is simply attempting to legitimize these actions after the fact without transparency or accountability and hence without due regard to our country’s laws, our municipality’s by-laws, and the public. Opportunities to resolve this matter amicably prior to the High Court enforcing such

action were ignored to the ratepayers and interested and affected parties’ detriment. The Title Deed itself shows that the recycle centre has been built in contravention of its zoning and use for parking and toilets, a condition that could only be approved by the “State”. To date the Title Deed remains unamended. The facts: It is a fact that the Centre had been built in defiance of proper zoning. It is a fact that neither interested and affected parties, nor the community at large, were consulted prior to its establishment. It is a fact that the building encroaches across a street surveyed as long ago as 1850! It is a fact that no road closure was publicized. It is a fact that the public was never consulted. It is a fact that we, the public, are overwhelmingly in support of recycling, but not of administrative disregard for procedure and public opinion, resulting in ratepayer’s money being used to pay a legal team to defend arrogant disregard of our legislation against its law-abiding residents. The relevant provincial authority is called upon to protect the interests of its people and investigate the manner in which this insult to the law-abiding public has been instigated. Officials who act in a wasteful or negligent fashion, in disregard of due process, should be held accountable in their personal capacities. R D MacKellar