GKM VIEWPOINT

Warm greetings to the Kokstad community and community at large.

ILLEGAL ADVERTISING

The municipality is inundated with illegal advertising and putting up of signs and posters within the municipal area of jurisdiction without permits being issued by the municipality.

I want to bring to the attention of the public that there is a bylaw that guides such activities and there are fines stipulated by the by-law which the municipality must enforce in the event of non-compliance with the bylaw.

The by-law regulates all signage, advertisements displayed or to be displayed within the area of jurisdiction of the council. It also provides for procedures, methods and practice to signage, advertisements displayed or to be displayed within the jurisdiction of the council.

I would like to inform members of the public that all advertising and/or direction activities executed within the Greater Kokstad Municipality area of jurisdiction must be done within the prescripts of the bylaws and must adhere to procedures as prescribed in the Outdoor Advertising and Signage Municipal ByLaw.

Failure to follow the correct processes will result in penalties as described in the Outdoor Advertising and Signage Municipal ByLaw being enforced.

I also want to advise that the Greater Kokstad Municipality no longer has a service provider responsible for outdoor advertising and/or direction activities on behalf of the municipality. The municipality is now conducting the service in-house.

Therefore, all outdoor advertising and/or direction activities executed within the Greater Kokstad Municipality area of jurisdiction must be done through the municipality.

Persons with outdoor advertising (including on site advertising) and/or direction activities currently displayed (including future proposed displays) are encouraged to visit the municipality and apply for the activity.

Outdoor Advertising and Signage Municipal ByLaw is available on our website www.kokstad.gov.za

Interested and affected parties must lodge applications in writing to the Municipal Manager at
P.O. Box 8, Kokstad, 4700, or to the Assistant Manager for Spatial Planning, Human Settlements and Building Control Mr S Madikizela, at 039 797 6600/ 6642, which may be submitted by fax — 039 727 3676, mail or e-mail at Samora.Madikizela@kokstad.gov.za and/or the Town Planning Technician Miss T Gono at 039 797 6733, e-mail Thando.Gono@Kokstad.gov.za

TEMPORARY CUSTOMER CARE NUMBER

I want to take this opportunity to apologise for the inconvenience experienced by community members due to the non-functioning of our customer care line 039 727 5733.

The municipality is still busy sorting out the technical problem with the line however, in the mean time, community members are requested to make use of 039 797 6600 for fire and rescue services, electricity faults and to report any matter that needs the municipal attention.

VISIT TO SERVICE DELIVERY SITES

On Tuesday, August 14, the budget and treasury standing committee, lead by His worship the Mayor Cllr BM Mtolo, Municipal Manager and CFO visited the service delivery sites that are currently under construction.

The purpose of the visit was to check on the progress of the projects and challenges that might delay the completion of the project on time.

The Gym Pyne sports ground and Kransfontein landfill site were visited. The committee was happy with the progress and no major challenges were reported. The site visits are conducted as a way of avoiding unnecessary delays of projects and to ensure that service delivery is accelerated.

Thank you for taking time to read this issue. Let’s meet again same time same place.