Using prison inmates for labour-intensive jobs, addressing the outstanding debtors’ book, a land audit, fixing incorrect billing and creating a season readiness plan.
These are several ambitious plans newly elected Knysna mayor Levael Davis hopes to achieve in his first 100 days in office.
Davis was speaking during a virtual meeting on Wednesday, flanked by his mayoral committee.
He was updating residents on his 14-point-plan.
“We encourage everyone to support this 100-day plan,” he said.
Davis said he was aware that the Omicron Covid-19 variant would affect the rollout of municipal plans.
But with tourists expected to flock to Knysna, Davis said he would ensure that the season readiness plan was implemented effectively.
“There is an economy that we want to move and we want to see that the Knysna’s season readiness plan is implemented,” he said.
He also introduced the Knysna Project Facelift, aimed at beautifying the entrance and exit points of various communities.
“We want to ... deal with the removal of overgrown weeds on islands, streets and roads.
“We will start systematically to deal with street signage repairs throughout Knysna and initiate the drafting of a ward-based signage repair and maintenance plan for Knysna.”
Davis promised to engage with organised civil society, ratepayers’ associations, civic organisations, sporting bodies, religious and cultural groups.
“We know in our region there are many retired professionals who can add a lot of value and we may be able to form advisory groups sourced from retired professionals,” he said.
An assessment of the status of all municipal departments would be done including the process to find a new municipal manager.
Acting municipal manager Dawid Adonis has been in the position for more than six months.
Davis said an agreement with the department of correctional services had been signed to implement the offender rehabilitation programme.
“They will provide us with the labour force and we will provide them with material for them to do community upliftment projects as well as the upskilling of offenders,” he said.
On infrastructure, he said they would conduct a stormwater analysis that would form part of a future master plan.
“We know the issue of land and land potential is a sensitive one.
“The important thing is to use council land effectively to address our community and economic needs.
“The land audit should come to council within a couple of months,” Davis said.
HeraldLIVE