Identifisering van finansieringsbronne vir die ontwikkeling van ’n plaaslike bestuur te wedela

Abstract

The main goal of this study is the identification of additional sources of revenue to support the local authority of Wedela in such a way that it will be financially independent from organisations like the Anglo American Corporation (AAC) and the Transvaal Provincial Administration (TPA). Wedela was developed by AAC as a residential area where the group could accommodate senior married officials employed by AAC's Western Deep Levels- and Elandsrand gold mines. .Since being founded by Mr Harry Oppenheimer in 1978, Wedela has undergone rapid growth. Especially so after the introduction of the AAC home owner scheme in 1988. At the time of study in 1992, 1432 houses had been completed and occupied. The population is estimated at between 9 000 and 10 000 people. Since the establishment of a local authority for the development area of Wedela in December 1989, the town has become a member of the West Rand Regional Services Council (WRRSC). From which time the Town Committee of Wedel a has been a participating local authority with one seat on the WRRSC. This fact had the benefit that the WRRSC was prepared to allocate funds out of their budgets on an annual basis for development projects in Wedela. The introduction of black local authorities was met with a high level of resistance as being a product of apartheid. The establishment of a local authority in Wedela was therefore also the target of political groups from the outset. A new system of regional joint administrations by neighbouring local authorities is inevitable. A target date to have joint administration in place is given as 1 January 1993. Joint administration with adjacent local authorities will bring relief to the problems related to the management of black local authorities. Almost all black local authorities had been experiencing serious problems in rendering essential services and the generating of sufficient income to fund their budgets. The local authorities are therefore dependent on the TPA to fund the increasing def'ici ts on their operating budgets. Due to the general economical situation in the country, the TPA cannot maintain the funding, since sufficient central government allocations are no longer available. It is against this background that Wedela became a local authority. Wedela is fortunate since it has inherited an above average infrastructure and a high level of engineering services. Since most of the residents of Wedela are employed by one of the AAC gold mines, unemployment is not as big a problem as in other areas. This fact contributes to the managing, maintenance and provision of the essential services, since a high percentage of the residents pay their monthly accounts regularly.