AfriForum agrees to meet with Tshwane Metro about MOU; will announce formal position tomorrow during massive renovation project
AfriForum confirmed today that it has accepted the request made by the new Tshwane mayor, Nasiphi Moya, for discussions regarding the organisation’s memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Metro. In preparation for the upcoming discussions with the Metro, AfriForum will present its official stance on this MOU tomorrow (Tuesday, 29 October) at a massive pothole project, which will involve the use of more than 22 tonnes of tar for road repairs in Monument Park.
Moya sent an official invitation to AfriForum’s CEO, Kallie Kriel, on Friday, requesting a constructive discussion about the MOU AfriForum entered into with the Metro in March of this year. This intended meeting will soon be held at AfriForum’s head office.
According to Moya’s letter, AfriForum’s MOU has been the subject of public scrutiny because there are concerns about the content and implementation of this agreement. However, she emphasised that the Metro values AfriForum’s contribution to service delivery in the city.
According to Llewellynn Hemmens, AfriForum’s District Coordinator for Greater Pretoria North, AfriForum is willing and ready to enter into discussions with the Metro and discuss the MOU. However, he asserts that the civil rights organisation will persist in carrying out community projects in this municipality, irrespective of the outcome of these discussions or the cancellation of the MOU.
“We trust that the Metro, as promised, will undertake discussions regarding AfriForum’s MOU in the spirit of cooperation and good faith,” emphasises Hemmens. “The Metro itself confirmed on Friday that third-party involvement in service delivery is not only beneficial for the Metro but critical.”
Amidst criticism about AfriForum’s MOU with the Metro, AfriForum’s work in the city continues unabated. The activities of the organisation’s neighbourhood teams, comprised of full-time employees, continue to expand, tackling diverse problems such as repairing potholes and maintaining green strips in the city on a daily basis. For example, today and tomorrow AfriForum is tackling a pothole project to the value of more than R108 000 during which around 22 tonnes of tar will be used to repair potholes.
“AfriForum’s projects are community-driven and are focused on involving the community to actively contribute to the improvement, renovation, or repair of infrastructure and sites in the communities where they live. We will continue to serve where active AfriForum communities exist and ensure that service delivery takes place in cases where the municipality is unable or unwilling to do so,” explains Hemmens.
