8 TYGERBURGER Kuilsrivier
NUUS
Woensdag, 23 April 2014
Rates rebates on cards again for city’s poorest residents MICHELLE LINNERT @linnertmb
Sara Rajab van Wesbank moedig kinders in die gebied aan om strate te vee en sodoende die gebied skoon te hou. Die ouers het die inisiatief verwelkom. FOTO: RICHARD ROBERTS
Besembrigade hou strate skoon RICHARD ROBERTS @richardjohn_rj
’n Wesbank-vrou het besluit dat sy nie meer op die stadsraad sal wag om dié gebied se strate op te ruim nie, maar moedig eerder kinders aan om sommer self besems op te tel en te vee. Sara Rajab van Windflowerstraat, Wesbank het gesê sy vertel dikwels vir die kinders dat as hul harte rein is, hulle hul omgewing ook skoon moet hou. “Ek is ’n kind van die Here en as jy skoon in jou hart is, dan maak jy rondom jou skoon. Ek het besluit ek wil ’n verskil maak in Wesbank. Ek kan nie die hele Wesbank doen nie, maar ek kan ten minste een straat skoonmaak. “Ek het na die kinders gegaan en hulle gevra of hulle my nie wil help nie,” het Sara gesê. Die groep kinders van ongeveer 50 is al ’n week besig in die gebied. “Die ouers is ook baie beïndruk dat hulle kinders iets
doen.” Sara wag tot wanneer die jongspan uit die skool kom en hul huiswerk voltooi het. “Ons begin gewoonlik om 17:00.” Elke kind bring sy eie besem. “Ek het net gevoel ek wil iets doen vir die gemeenskap. Ek is moeg daarvan om in ’n vuil straat te loop. Ons kan nie wag vir die munisipaliteit om eendag hier te kom skoonmaak nie. Hulle kom eers elke drie, vier of ses maande. Ek is moeg daarvoor en daarom het ek met die projek begin.” Sy het kinders aangemoedig om hulle nie te steur aan ander wat die plek bemors nie. “Ek het vir hulle gesê wys vir hulle daar is iets mooi in julle. “Dis ons eie vullis wat in die straat vol lê, maar mense wil baklei en aangaan daaroor. Mense wil hê ander moet hul vullis optel. Al wat dit kos is om jou vullis in die sak te steek. “Ek het vir die kinders gesê kom ons doen iets vir onsself, vir ons straat en vir die Here.” Die kinders is van 8 jaar en ouer.
A part of the city’s draft budget proposal currently under review is the restructuring of policies such as relief offered to its poorer residents. Johan van der Merwe, head of the city’s finance portfolio committee, said such policies would be administered in the next fiscal year starting 1 July, provided the provisional budget was accepted. “Part of the concept budget is the concept policy on indigent relief. When the concept budget is approved at the end of May, we will have concrete figures to consider for approval regarding policy for poverty alleviation,” he said. “The figures in the draft policy reflect that which can be revised after public participation process have been completed, and will be effective as of the new financial bookyear. He said the financial form this “care” would take, once the provisional budget and policies were accepted, was as follows: VFree basic services to those with proper-
ties valued at less than R400 000. VFree basic services to those with a gross monthly household income of R3 500. VSenior citizens qualify for rates rebates if their gross monthly household income is less than R12 000 per month. VInidgent grants provide a 100% rates rebate, an additional 4,5 kl of water and a free 240 litre refuse bin for all households with a gross monthly income of R3 500 or less. V75% rates rebate for residents with an income between R3 500 and R4 000. V50% rates rebates for residents with an income between R4 000 and R4 500. V25% rates rebate for residents with an income between R4 500 and R5 000 for 2013/2014. Van der Merwe said in genereal the electricity tariff blocks apply per calendar month and not per purchase. He advised prepaid electricity consumers to only purchase the necessary amount of energy they need in a month. “This will keep the amount paid as low as possible.”
Rates rebates are once again on the cards for the City’s poorer communties.
International Council of Societies of Industrial Design A Partner of the International Design Alliance