24/01/2011
Stellenbosch municipal official throws media out of public meeting
A public meeting organised by The Air That I Breathe Foundation (TATIB) with the Stellenbosch city manager to discuss the issue of spray drift stalled this morning when planning, property and integrated human settlements director Basil Davidson, who deputised for the city manager at short notice, refused to proceed with the meeting until members of the media had left the room.
The meeting took place at 11.30am Monday, January 24 at the Municipality’s offices adjacent to the town hall. Two members of the media were present, a number of municipal officials, and a number of members of TATIB, lead by Ian Odendaal. Jurgen Schirmacher, a founding member of TATIB, and a well known environmental activist participated in the meeting via Skype from Australia where he currently resides.
Davidson, in his opening comments welcomed the TATIB delegation, and assured them that it was in the municipality’s interests to address the issues at hand because “Stellenbosch has some of the most expensive real estate in the country” and that this must be protected.
Davidson unilaterally assumed the chairperson of the meeting after an exchange with Odendaal, in which he initially refused to accept the agenda proposed beforehand by TATIB. “Let’s see how things go,” he said.
He then asked all present to introduced themselves and to state their interest in the proceedings, and once he realised the media was present, he refused to proceed.
Odendaal and Schirmacher both challenged his decision, citing the need for transparency, but Davidson insisted that it is the policy of the municipality that the media are not permitted to be present in “planning meetings” where matters of a “technical nature” are discussed.
At one point he agreed to observe the TATIB agenda, but only if the media left the meeting.
Odendaal pointed out that the meeting was in fact a public meeting called at the request of TATIB, as a follow-up to a series of meetings last year with community services and public safety, the last of which took place on May 25. Certain undertakings had apparently been made at those meetings, and TATIB wanted feedback on the progress the municipality has made on those undertakings.
Schirmacher said that in his view the municipality “must have something to hide” if Donaldson insisted that the media leave the meeting, but Donaldson was adamant.
When challenged by a member of the media to divulge who had ordered him to exclude the media, he said that it “wasn’t a person, but a municipal policy”. When asked to produce the written policy, he said “We”ll have to get our hands on it then forward it to you.”
He agreed that the minutes of the meeting could be made available to the media, and also to the media having free access to speak directly to the officials present at the meeting, if the media had any questions about what is recorded in the minutes, adding “That’s normal procedure.”
Both members of the media then agreed to withdraw from the meeting, albeit it under protest, to ensure that the meeting was not postponed.
The TATIB Foundation said,
26/01/2011 at 2:09 am
The meeting was called in order to get feedback from Stellenbosch Municipality & Cape District Winelands Municipality, on what they had done, over the past 18 months, to address the well documented problem of spray drift (of potentially toxic agricultural chemicals) into the residential areas adjacent to vineyards & orchards. According to studies done by UCT
On 27 January 2010, there was a public meeting (at which the press were present) held between TATIB, members of the public (complainants), both Municipalities and Provincial Administration.
As a result of the meeting of 27 January 2010, and a letter sent to the municipalities by TATIB’s attorneys on 30 November 2009, the Municipality held two internal meetings on 12 & 25 May 2010 (official minutes page11 & 40 can be found here : http://www.stellenbosch.gov.za/sbmun/jsp/util/document.jsp?id=3202 and http://www.stellenbosch.gov.za/sbmun/jsp/util/document.jsp?id=3156 )
During these two meetings, it was agreed that that the Air Quality Management consultant, Gondwana Environmental Solutions be contacted to complete the draft of the Air Quality Management Plan for Stellenbosch
Municipality. That the Acting Municipal Manager decides on the appointment of an Environmental Officer in terms of the Act. That the Municipal Manager empowers the Directorate: Public Safety personnel to investigate the complaints which have been lodged with the Legal Resource Centre and theTatib Foundation, in co-operation with the Health Services of
Cape Winelands District Municipality. That consultancy fees be made available for investigation of said allegations in cooperation with other government stakeholders, according to the already approved budget.
Despite all of the undertakings made, both Municipalities have not done anything to resolve the problem.
When TATIB asked them ( at the meeting of 24 Jan) what they had done, they made mention that they had received a quotation of over R300 000.00 for the draft of the air quality management plan, and that they did not have sufficient funds to implement it.
When TATIB asked for a copy of both the quotation and original request for the quotation, we were told that they were private documents to which the public had no right. We explained to them that we, the public, have a right to the information (promotion to public information act) and that we would in any event, through our rates and taxes, have to foot the bill anyway, and as such had a right to know where our money was being spent.
Our concerns were dismissed and the Municipality ended the meeting by saying that we should address all future correspondence to their legal representatives.
What about accountability and transparency ? What about “Duty of Care” ?
Clearly this is a Municipality that has something to hide and is now on the defensive as TATIB are getting far too close to the truth.
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jenneth Thompson said,
18/09/2011 at 9:55 am
Appalling info but not surprising. Our municipality has a poor track record when it comes to supporting and protecting residents.