Ward Committees

Ward committees are meant to encourage participation by the community – their job is to make municipal council aware of the needs and concerns of residents and keep people informed of the activities of municipal council.

Ward committees are made up of a ward councillor and no more than ten people who are elected from the ward and who serve voluntarily for a five-year term. Council must make rules regarding the election of ward committee members, including how often meetings take place, and the dissolution of ward committees.

Find out who your Ward committee member is in your ward by downloading Umvoti Ward committee Database below:-

Umvoti Ward Committee Members Database

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DESCRIPTION OF THE WARD COMMITTEES

• The objectives of a ward committee is to enhance participatory democracy in local government
• A ward committee is :
• An advisory body;
• A representative structure of the ward;
• Independent;
• Must be impartial and perform its function without fear, favor or prejudice;
• Not politically oriented;
• An integrative umbrella body responsible for coordination of ward developmental initiatives

FUNCTIONS AND POWERS OF WARD COMMITTEES

        POWERS OF WARD COMMITTEES

• A ward committee may make recommendations on any matter affecting its ward to the ward councilor; or through the ward councilor, to the metro or local council, the executive committee, the mayor or the relevant metropolitan sub-council.
• A ward committee may have such duties and powers as may be delegated to it through the municipal policy in line with the provisions of Section 59 of the Municipal Systems Act.

FUNCTIONS OF WARD COMMITTEES

• To serve as an official specialized participatory structure in the municipality
• To create a formal unbiased communication channels as well as cooperative partnerships between the community and the council. This may be achieved as follows:
• Advise and make recommendations to ward councilor on matters and policy affecting the ward;
• Assist the ward councilor in identifying challenges and needs of residents;
• Disseminate information in the ward concerning municipal affairs;
• Receive queries and complaints from residents concerning municipal service delivery, communicate it to councilor/ council and provide feedback to the community on the response;
• Ensure constructive and harmonious interaction between the municipality and community through the use and co-ordination of ward residents meetings and other community development forums, and interact with other forums and organizations on matters affecting the ward.
• To serve as mobilizing agent for community action within the ward through:
• Attending to all matters that affect and benefit the community;
• Acting in the best interest of the community;
• Ensure the active participation of the community in decisions concerning taken by the municipality;
• Delimitate and chair zonal meetings
• No executive powers should be delegated to ward committee members.
• A ward committee may express dissatisfaction in writing to the municipal council on the non-performance of a ward councilor.DESCRIPTION OF THE WARD COMMITTEES
  • The objectives of a ward committee is to enhance participatory democracy in local government
  • A ward committee is :
   An advisory body;
   A representative structure of the ward;
   Independent;
   Must be impartial and perform its function without fear, favor or prejudice;
   Not politically oriented;
   An integrative umbrella body responsible for coordination of ward developmental initiatives
  FUNCTIONS AND POWERS OF WARD COMMITTEES
  POWERS OF WARD COMMITTEES
  • A ward committee may make recommendations on any matter affecting its ward to the ward councilor; or through the ward councilor, to the metro or local council, the executive committee, the mayor or the relevant metropolitan sub-council.
  • A ward committee may have such duties and powers as may be delegated to it through the municipal policy in line with the provisions of Section 59 of the Municipal Systems Act.FUNCTIONS OF WARD COMMITTEES
  • To serve as an official specialized participatory structure in the municipality
  • To create a formal unbiased communication channels as well as cooperative partnerships between the community and the council. This may be achieved as follows:
   Advise and make recommendations to ward councilor on matters and policy affecting the ward;
   Assist the ward councilor in identifying challenges and needs of residents;
   Disseminate information in the ward concerning municipal affairs;
   Receive queries and complaints from residents concerning municipal service delivery, communicate it to councilor/ council and provide feedback to the community on the response;
   Ensure constructive and harmonious interaction between the municipality and community through the use and co-ordination of ward residents meetings and other community development forums, and interact with other forums and organizations on matters affecting the ward.
  • To serve as mobilizing agent for community action within the ward through:
   Attending to all matters that affect and benefit the community;
   Acting in the best interest of the community;
   Ensure the active participation of the community in decisions concerning taken by the municipality;
   Delimitate and chair zonal meetings
  • No executive powers should be delegated to ward committee members.
  • A ward committee may express dissatisfaction in writing to the municipal council on the non-performance of a ward councilor.