ANC Ward 104 councillor Meisi Makuwa
Dunoon’s ward councillor Meisie Makuwa has praised women in the township for their resourcefulness, but she says the youth there are not doing enough to uplift the community.
The Ward 104 councillor’s statement on the youth is echoed by a report tabled at a Sub-council 3 meeting in June.
The report says there has been no participation from youth-based organisations on the ward committee in sub-council meetings throughout this year.
The report also showed that although faith-based organisations have had a seat on the vast ward's committee, they only started attending meetings in June. Ms Makuwa confirmed this.
Councillors have the power to add or remove or combine sectors to be represented on the ward committee.
Arts and culture groupings, business forums, civic organisations, vulnerable groups and education organisations have all had representation on the ward committee since the beginning of the year, but environment, safety and security, sport and youth organisations have not been represented in the sub-council meetings, the report said.
Apart from Dunoon, the ward includes The Stables, Cape Farms, Racing Park, Brentwood Park, parts of Malibongwe Drive and Giel Basson Drive and part of Killarney Gardens.
In an interview with Tabletalk at the weekend, Ms Makuwa said the youth of Dunoon preferred to party.
“We don’t see our youth in meetings. You see them having fun at night... “My wish is for them to learn to join these groups and the things we do so they can change their lives around.”
On women, she said: “Dunoon women are very active. If you look at the EPWP (Expanded Public Works Programme), it’s mostly women who work there. You don’t find men. In the community, you will mostly find women selling fruit and veg in their stalls. Some have laundry businesses and others sell braaied meat.
“Most entrepreneurs are foreign nationals, but local women have not given up. They wake up and hustle. These women are strong.”
Tabletalk spotted groups of women in EPWP gear clearing drains and cleaning the streets in Dunoon.
Ms Makuwa, who is a first-time councillor elected in last year’s local elections, said she was adapting to the responsibilities of the job.
“I am learning a lot in the inside (in council). I’m learning how to effect by-laws,” Ms Makuwa said.
Asked about ward successes so far, she said: “I can’t speak much of the successes of the ward, but I can highlight that there has been a great change in the overflowing drains. The municipality eventually agreed to overhaul the sewer line.”
She was referring to kilometres of old sewer pipes that were recently replaced in Dunoon.