Hoegemaak!? | Oudtshoorn Online
Hoegemaak!?	‘n Kiekie van Oudtshoorn. Dís soos dit is: In ‘n neutedop. En wat gedoen moet word.
Oudtshoorn. 22 Januarie 2012. 09h45. Oudtshoorn is ‘n wonderlike plek!
Só het ek al in 2008 geskryf, voordat OO die lig gesien het: Oudtshoorn, man what a place! Lees dié “huldeblyk” gerus wéér en besef dat ons op ‘n wergalose dorp woon en werk en speel!
Maar hoe sien Oudtshoorn vandag daaruit?
Van ons infrastruktuur van R2.635 miljard is slegs 60% diensbaar.
R10m per jaar is nodig om dié oorblyfsel in stand te hou – geld wat ons nie hét nie.
Van nuwe kapitaalprojekte kan daar beswaarlik spráke wees… slegs grants en peperduur lenings kan ons infrastruktuur uitbrei – en dan sal méér as R10m per jaar benodig word vir instandhouding.
Daar is tans nie eens geld om Oudtshoorn se strate te herstel nie. R2.2m is nodig om die swakste strate oor te doen; R4m om bepaalde strate te rehabiliteer. By gebrek aan hierdie kritiese werk sal daar in die volgende boekjaar méér as R10m benodig word om die dwingendste instandhouding te doen.
Die kragonderbreking van 4 Januarie en die wateronderbreking in Toekomsrus op 16 Januarie is die direkte gevolg van ‘n gebrek aan instandhouding… ‘n direkte gevolg van ‘n geldtekort… ‘n direkte gevolg van wanadministrasie.
OO het op 14 September verlede jaar ons droewige finansiële toestand beskryf – klik hier en lees die féite wéér. Hier is ‘n bondige samevatting:
Ons staar ‘n kontanttekort van R12.6m in die gesig in die huidige boekjaar; ons kontantreserwes het met 85% gekrimp in die vier jaar eindigende vanjaar.
Dit is te laat om ‘n ramp te vermy.
Rampbestuur – doelgerigte en doeltreffend rampbestuur is al wat Oudtshoorn van algehele ondergang kan red.
En dís waar jý inkom, OO-leser.
Niémand gaan ons help nie.
Die raad gaan Oudtshoorn nie red nie.
Die amptenary gaan Oudtshoorn nie red nie.
Die provinsiale regering gaan Oudtshoorn nie red nie.
Die nasionale regering gaan Oudtshoorn nie red nie.
Die ANC gaan Oudtshoorn nie red nie.
Die DA gaan Oudtshoorn nie red nie.
Jý gaan Oudtshoorn moet red.
Daar is geen wegkomskans nie; daar is nêrens om weg te kruip nie. Jý sal moet ingryp.
Verantwoordelike burgerskap is veel meer as om elke 5 jaar te stem en voor te gee alles is wel. Plato het gesê Die Stad (sic) is wat dit is omdat die inwoners is wat hulle is.
Daar kan slegs met die huidige administrasie onderhandel word uit ‘n posisie van onaantasbare mag want die administrasie het sedert burgerlike inisiatiewe wat op die Oudtshoorn Burgerlike Beweging se “versoeningsmars” (klik hier vir foto’s) van 15 November uitgeloop het, nog géén aanduiding gegee dat verantwoordelik bestuur word nie en nog géén terugvoer is aan inwoners gegee nie!
Terloops, OO het reeds die dag vóór die optog berig dat die raad ‘n middelvinger vir die OBB gewys het – klik hier.
Voordat énige terugvoer aan inwoners bekend gemaak is, is OO se bedenkinge bevestig deur ondeurdagte aanstellings; ongemagtigde betalings; en die arrestasie van die burgemeester op klagtes van diefstal en intimidasie.
Oudtshoorn se belastingbetalers sal ‘n dispuut met die munisipaliteit moet verklaar – en die wetlike voorskrifte met omsigtigheid moet nakom – en belasting weerhou.
Slegs wanneer die kaderkornuite se geldkraan toegedraai word sal die raad en die amptenary hóór; lúister; en reageer.
Oudtshoorn se belastingbetalers sal leiers moet aanwys wat die moed en die wil het om hierdie enorme taak te bestuur.
Die kieserskorps moet ingelig word oor die raad se verkragting van Oudtshoorn en hoe die raad júis die armstes van die armes benadeel. Rousseau het gesê: “Free people, remember this maxim: we may acquire liberty, but it is never recovered if it is once lost.”
Die mense van Oudtshoorn – jý en mense soos jy – moet sorg dat die vryheid wat die ANC ons álmal besorg het, nié verloor word nie.
← Blunderers, botchers, bumblers, bunglers and butchersPaulse-saak op 29 Feb in hof →	25 thoughts on “Hoegemaak!?”	bart vosloo says:	2012/01/24 at 18:46	Dit help nie ons Lewer net kommentaar nie. Ons het moes n voorsitter van OBV en Afri-Forum. Bele n vergadering waar ons die sake aktief verder kan opneem. Wat my pla is dat belangrike besigheidsmense en sekere organisasies in hierdie dorp absoluut swyg oor die toestand. Besigheidskamer, Rotarieers, Vryburgers, dokters, prokureurs as ons almal kan saam staan kan ons baie vermag. Bring ons n et bymekaar.
sadruid says:	2012/01/23 at 15:52	@ Marah Well said, however it only makes sense to the have’s. Those that do not have and stay in a “ma-chock” or “hok”, hope is all that they have the hope for a better life, and if its a free ride, atleast its a ride, short may it be but a ride. It is hope that keeps them in poverty, to the point that if all is poor then we are average and no longer poor, but average. Yes the have’s will get less and some are moveing funds (and jobs) out of the area.
To be honest I do not care who rules, as long as they rule for the good of all, as long as they rule so that the poor are uplifted, and that if Oudshoorn is held to be a place that you want to be in. Not ruled to the bennefit of some, (and they do not stay in Oudtshoorn), and do not rule so that selected legal bank accounts are uplifted, nor rule so that Oudtshoorn has no hope and our kids have to look els where for hopefully a better future! @ comrade, I have to open a factory soon, its may genarate 150 pernament jobs and 300 part time. I have had a look around and have 3 placeses in mind 1 Oudtshoorn as its home, 2 Matola at a port, 3 Lobatse very stable and relyable workers. Comrade why must I stay in Oudtshoorn?
Joss says:	2012/01/23 at 15:18	So die dominee alleen het die geld gekry wat gebruik moes word om die swak strate reg te maak. Maak mens die sommetjies reg oor al die ander geldjies wat net sommer so ” geskenk” word kan mens sien dat die dorp se skatkis so leeg is dat mens kan sê hy het sy “GAT” gesien. Gaan rubber tjeks uitgereik word vir die regskostes wat nog betaal moet word.
Red/Ed says:	2012/01/23 at 15:02	Belastingbetalers betaal.
Soos in R1.5m vir Pietersen om te blý en R1.2m 80 dae later om te gáán.
Dis nou mense wat “respek” wil hê…
Joss says:	2012/01/23 at 14:59	OO – wie gaan verantwoordelik gehou word vir die verspilde kostes van die volle salaris wat geskorste amptenare ontvang het terwyl hulle vir maande geskors was en daar mense in hulle plekke waargeneem het. Moet die belastingbetalers maar weer hoes omdat sekere raadslede en amptenare besluit het om hierdie mense sonder meriete te skors aangesien daar nie met hulle saamgestem was nie en hulle van hierdie amptenare wou onsle raak.
Jack says:	2012/01/23 at 14:35	MARAH, fantasies gestel, ongelukkig kan mens nie staatmaak op die volgende verkiesing nie omdat die gemeenskap weer voor die volgende verkiesing belieg en bedrieg sal word en maar weer vir die huidige regering sal stem, net om weer bedrieg te word. Hoe kan ‘n land vooruitgaan as ‘n handvol belastingbetalers en dit sluit belastingbetalers van alle rasse in, die ander moet onderhou, maar die regering en plaaslike regering steel en mors geld op grootskaal.Waar gaan die regering melk as die bestaande melkkoeie ( belastingbetalers) leeg getap is. Suid Afrika is vinnig besig om in dieselfde voetspore as Zimbabwe te volg.
Marah says:	2012/01/23 at 13:49	Is this man truly a genius? An economics professor at a local college made a statement that he had never failed a single student before, but had recently failed an entire class. That class had insisted that Obama’s socialism worked and that no one would be poor and no one would be rich, a great equalizer. The professor then said, “OK, we will have an experiment in this class on Obama’s plan”.. All grades will be averaged and everyone will receive the same grade so no one will fail and no one will receive an A…. (substituting grades for dollars – something closer to home and more readily understood by all).
Remember, there IS a test coming up. The 2012 elections in South Africa. These are possibly the 5 best sentences you’ll ever read and all applicable to this experiment:
Comment says:	2012/01/23 at 12:50	@Johan: There should from the point of the ‘white’ ratepayer be a simple logic here: most ‘white’ residents irrespective of occasionally differing ideological positions, want economic prosperity for the town; a pre-condition for economic prosperity is political stability; a precondition for political stability is social stability. Social stability requires that we act collectively for the good of the weakest in our community. That activism operates at various quite divergent levels – but all of them are most effectively platformed with and through the local authority. The integrity of a ‘nice leafy street’ is not in any real way threatened by a few potholes and some litter … but it is dangerously threatened by abject poverty and hardship in an adjacent suburb. If I were an average ‘white’ ratepayer that is what I would be campaigning against: many people find the expenditure of public money by the local authority on restaurants and allegedly religious services outrageous, but outrage is relative. However spending the money on that nonsense when there is poverty and suffering in the town I imagine almost everyone would agree is grossly immoral. It is outrage against that immorality which will address the real issue here and transcend all other differences. This rather than a multiplicity of sectarian agendas may unite the town in a collective demand for better municipal administration.
investigative public says:	2012/01/23 at 12:37	So Doomsie het ODN in n skaduwolk en skande verlaat en die volgende “Preacher” maak sy verskyning op die horison
KwB het verdwyn en gerieflikheidhalwe is COMRADE, sy eweknie op die toneel
ODN word steeds in die afgrond bestuur – wie fool nou eintlik vir wie
Belasting herkannalisering is die enigste georganiseerde uitweg. HOU OP OM DIE KANKER TE VOED !!
Jack says:	2012/01/23 at 12:10	Die probleem op Oudtshoorn is dat niemand iets wil doen aan die korrupsie, swak dienslewering, vermorsing van fondse en diefstal nie. Terwyl Zille en Bredelle soos die graf swyg, skreeu die ANC vir alles rassisme en voel hulle word onbillik benadeel as hulle nie die belastingbetaler se geld kan mors vir hulle eie doen en late nie. Regsdienste binne en buite Oudtshoorn floreer terwyl Oudtshoorn Munisipaliteit amptenare vir maande skors met betaling sonder enige grondige rede om van die amptenare onslae te raak. Politieke inmening deur Raadslede in die administrasie en bedryf van die munisipaliteit is die een groot oorsaak van die ondergang van die munisipaliteit.Hoe kan ‘n raadslid wat geen finansiële agtergrond het nie besluite neem oor die finansies van die munisipaliteit. Hoe lei die spreekwoord ” in die land van die blindes is eenoog baas” Die tyd het aangebreek dat die blindes wel gaan sien dat daar geen geld in die koffers van Oudtshoorn Munisipaliteit is om dienste te lewer soos water en elektrisiteit te lewer nie – Oudtshoorn is vinnig op dieselfde roete van bankrotskap soos Limopo provinsie. STERKE
Johan says:	2012/01/23 at 10:58	Spot-on Comment. I, too, am not willing to associate with a right-wing agenda. I really just want the municipality to do their job. And this is not just because it affects my life in my nice leafy street – but even more so the disadvantaged people of our town. I have no idea how they survive this heat without having access to water. My dogs are treated better than them – it is a shame!
Comment says:	2012/01/23 at 09:41	@SADruid: Spot on. The sentiment you express above is shared by very many of the ‘white’ residents of the town. Because the activism around the municipality is perceived to have become a platform for right-wing politics many ‘white’ residents are unwilling to associate with it – as Comrade correctly points out. One of the possibilities is that the failed march illustrated very clearly that the ‘right-wing’ agenda is noisy but does not have significant political traction among ‘white’ residents.
The position you take above is enormously important: legitimate activism from the ‘white’ community around municipal expenditure should be motivated by and articulated pretty much as you phrase it : we have a shared future in Oudtshoorn and outrage from the rate-paying minority at the way in which municipal resources are being squandered on absolute nonsense instead of being used to upgrade disadvantaged areas in the town can become a potent platform.
sadruid says:	2012/01/23 at 08:41	@ comrade, It is not the amount of people in the march that count but who did march. We the tax payers that pay the municipal tax, that inable them to pay the workers, councilors, for services (that inclued “free” water ), sanitation, and roads. We the tax payers are fedup paying for poor admin, high court costs, and other non esencials like babeling preachers, and councilors that do not do what they sepose to do! While people that need these services ar denighed them due to NO FUNDS because the funds have disapeared!
Ask the people of Blomnek NO WATER, pipe broke, no funds to fix it but the mayor can spend money for a babler! while people are standing in que’s with buckets for water but dry taps! I wonder if they, the councilors whould disclose howmutch the earned as from the election, what they done to earn it, and if those funds where used to fix Oudtshoorn in stead of paying for the councilors what may have been done. EG; R50 000 whent to a babler ( 4 days of “good” sound’s), if it was used to fix water pipe and pump (years of water for the living)
comrade I am willing to say that I paye more than R12 000 for tax to Oudtshoorn municipalety to run the town FOR THE BETTER OFALL, how much do you pay? comrade think about that. Now think what whould hapen if 500 people divert tax (500 x R12 000 =R6 000 000) that is 50% of the maintance cost of the town. that just 500 housholds not even farms, and other comercial taxpayers!
alleycat says:	2012/01/23 at 08:30	Comrade…..Build on what we all have, DON`T destroy everything just to get even.The analogy of cutting off one`s nose to spite one`s face comes to mind, which appears to be ANC policy.
Fedup! says:	2012/01/23 at 07:07	Comrade – tend and care for your “gardens” and the environment – then you too can enjoy a “leafy” suburb!
Plant a tree and stop digging up the past!
Marah says:	2012/01/23 at 00:50	Ek voel die enigste manier waarop die mense van Oudtshoorn gaan begin notisie neem van sake is as die Munisipaliteit bankrot raak. As alles in duie stort, ;hulle nie krag het nie en ook nie water het nie dan sal hulle gou in opstand kom. Miskien is dit dalk nodig. Die mense in ons dorp en in sovele ander is so gemaklik met die stand van sake want solank daar is is hulle nie bekommerd nie. Van praat kom daar niks nie ……. so hou maar uit voor ons weet waar ons is is ons in die beproewing. Gou sal die mense van Oudtshoorn besef wie hulle uit die moeilike posisie sal kan help.
comrade says:	2012/01/22 at 23:00	Fed up keep on dreaming. You expected 5000 marchers for the arab spring march of OBB last year and less than 500 pitched. Maybe they were too busy on the gholf courses and bowling classes or attending to their money. This is wishful thinking kindergarden politics that you are proposing. You and Lizanne are becoming so desperate that you are proposing illegal routes to vent your actions. Take a leaf out of the ANC 100 year history and learn the lesson : when we faced the dark forces of the apartheid junta, we defied all their laws and were willing to go to prison and die for our freedom. Are you in your cosy leafy suburbs willing to make these types of sacrifices ? Forsake everything for what you believe in ? I didnt think so !
Fedup! says:	2012/01/22 at 22:27	George – Stuur weer besonderhede van hoe ons by Afriforum kan aanmeld.
PS – Individual protest by withholding taxes is a non-starter – I tried this for a 12 month period and in the 13th month, was “handed over” and got a letter from a “friendly” local Afrikaans legal firm – (employed on a commission basis by the Council at 17% of OS taxes as a recovery fee to them – money for jam!), advising that my moveable property was forfeit, and if I didn’t pay, the Sheriff would be instructed to collect to the value of outstanding taxes – NO DEBATE, NO ARGUMENT – tough boet – K&B!!
Any solutions? I believe we need a “critical mass” of non – payers, say 10,000 “regular” tax payers, to withhold payment for a few months, which would firstly “cripple” OM’s cash flow – getting their attention – and secondly make a “mass” legal action against this number of “protestors”, over this short period of “arrears”, all but impossible?
How say you and the RPA – is this really achievable given the “poor” turnout at the protest march to april, mogale and Council last year?
George Kersop says:	2012/01/22 at 20:58	INWONERS VAN OUDTSHOORN, moenie vir een oomblik dink dat julle nie ‘n verskil kan maak maak nie.
Dit het nou meer as ooit tevore nodig geword dat elkeen van ons sal opstaan, ons regte begin opeis en begin optree om OUDTSHOORN te red van dieselfde dilemma waarin menigte munisipaliteite in hierdie land verval het.
Die afgelope paar weke is daar landswyd met leiers in verskillende dorpe gekonsulteer en na oplossings gesoek om hierdie dorp te red van:-
1. Swak bestuur en verkwisting van belastingbetalers se geld;
2. Vebrokkeling van infrastruktuur – na vanmiddag se reën vloei die riool in die Grobbelaarsrivier, oorstroom mense se huise as gevolg verstopte kanale en gebreekte stormwater pype;
3. Miskenning van van regte van inwoners deur traak-my-nie-agtige houdings van amptenare van ons munisipaliteit;
4. Inwoners se onbetrokkenheid in sake wat die voortbestaan van ons dorp bedreig;
5. Onbereidwilligheid van die provinsiale regering om op te tree in terme van die wet;
6. Onbereidwilligheid van politieke leiers om op te tree in Oudtshoorn.
Wanneer die Oudtshoorn Belastingbetalersvereeniging en AfriForum ‘n oproep op u doen om vergaderings by te woon, moet u asseblief betrokke raak en hierdie vergaderings bywoon. U stem moet gehoor word en u insette by hierdie vergaderings is van groot belang.
ONTHOU, net u kan ‘n verskil maak om hierdie dorp se voortbestaan te verseker, want politieke leiers en die provinsiale regering stel nie belang nie.
Daar is nie meer tyd vir uitstel nie, daar moet dringend opgetree word.
George Kersop, Voorsitter AfriForum, Oudtshoorn-tak.
Red/Ed says:	2012/01/22 at 17:51	Die padda-analogie is goed. Báie goed!
sadruid says:	2012/01/22 at 17:48	Dink net die besighede is tebang hul bots met die gereg! Dis mos die ding van ons white’ties wil nie betroke raak nie. Sal soos n padda wat stadig waremer raak eerder dood kook as n spier verroer om uit die gemors te kom.
lizanne pelham says:	2012/01/22 at 15:38	Die inwoners van Oudtshoorn weet nie hoe om te baklei vir dit wat hulle die nodigste het nie almal het altyd ‘n opinie en kan lang gesprekke hê oor die stand van sake MAAR geen vermoë of lus om op te tree nie.
Belastingweerhouding is die enigste uitweg MAAR moet geadministreer en ge-oudit word.
Professionele persone moet betrokke raak en help en heel waarskynlik vir geen vergoeding nie OMDAT dit al uitweg is om die dorp van ondergang te red.
Die OBB het tot op hede geen terugvoer aan die dorp se inwoners gegee nadat hulle reeds verlede jaar terugvoer ontvang het op hul klagskrif nie.
Waar is die Oudtshoorn besigheidskamer en sy mense? Waarom raak hulle nie betrokke in Oudtshoorn se sake nie, OF is hulle ook maar net besig om agter die dekmantel van hul besighese met die munisipaliteit saam te konkel vir hul eie gewin?
Red/Ed says:	2012/01/22 at 12:31	sadruid
Tja. Die maan en die sterre is beloof, maar veral skoon en deursigtige regering!
sadruid says:	2012/01/22 at 11:41	Alleycat we are in the same boat, and even if we would want to move, nobody wants to come and stay here.
OO ek wonder net of ons die verkiesings beloftes kan uitgrawe en weer voorhou aan die verkose lede, om hul verskoonings aantehoor.
alleycat says:	2012/01/22 at 10:57	I “retired” 11years ago and chose Oudtshoorn 10 years ago as the place where I wanted to spend my twilight years as it was(is) a beautiful and then well managed town. I involved myself in local politics and ward committees BUT became disheartend as time went on at the lack of involvement of the residents in the running and future of our town(I say our town as I am no more “`n inkommer”). This apathy has helped the situation we have now and needs to be turned around p d q.
I, like others have invested a lot of money in this town and will not and cannot move elsewhere. We need more than pavement politicians to save Oudtshoorn and our future, we need leaders with balls and vision. At the moment our political “leaders” were all jobless before taking up office and will be jobless again if they shake the tree. Being jobless again is what most of them deserve, anyway.
OO, I support what you are doing and thanks for the regular updates of the state of affairs