05-06-2025
Vorna Valley Residents Association committee member cries foul over ‘corrupted' city's e-Service portal
Vorna Valley Residents Association (VVRA) committee member Paul Veltman, on behalf of the association, lodged a formal complaint about alleged gross mismanagement and lack of transparency by the city's Land Use and Development Planning Department.
The complaint was also addressed to Ward 132 councillor, Annette Deppe, on May 15.
The grievances relate to the processing and public disclosure of development applications via the city's e-Services portal.
Veltman claimed this was not merely a technical oversight but a representation of a fundamental breach of public trust, due process, and democratic accountability.
He said documented failures included inaccessible, unlisted or missing applications and approvals without engagements.
Also read: Johannesburg Water advances critical repairs to sewer pipelines affected by flood damage in Waterfall and Vorna Valley
'Multiple applications listed on the portal cannot be accessed [with broken links, error messages or incomplete uploads],' said Veltman.
He alleged this meant that residents were deliberately sidelined, undermining mandatory public participation.
VVRA demands:
Veltman said the residents' association demanded the halting of all development approvals until the portal was fully audited and corrected to reflect all applications accurately.
The demands also included: The Land Use Management and Geographic Information System map systems to be fully operational again; a public explanation for missing/incorrect records; and an independent review: A third-party audit of all recently approved applications to confirm compliance with public consultation laws.
Also read: Minister welcomes digital transformation roadmap for SA government
Veltman added that there should be a compensatory public engagement to reopen comment periods for all affected applications where participation was obstructed. 'This is not negotiable. As ratepayers, we demand a system that operates with integrity, transparency, and respect for due process. Silence or inaction will be interpreted as complicity in malpractice.'
Councillor intervention:
Ward 132 councillor Deppe committed to addressing this issue with the urgency and transparency it deserved.
'Firstly, I acknowledge the documented failures you have highlighted, including issues with inaccessible applications, unlisted or missing applications, and approvals without public engagement. These are indeed serious concerns that undermine public trust and the participatory process essential to our community's development,' said Deppe.
She added that to address these concerns, she was going to ensure that the relevant departments within the Development and Land Use Management Planning Team probed the issues with the portal and ensured it reflected all applications accurately.
Read more: Gauteng Department of Education confirms repairs at Eqinisweni Secondary School
'I will advocate for a complete audit and correction of the Land Use Management and GIS map systems to ensure their full functionality. This includes a public explanation for missing or incorrect records. I will push for the reopening of comment periods for all affected applications to ensure that public participation has not been unjustly obstructed.'
City response
City spokesperson Nthatisi Modingoane claimed that the department had not at any point in time approved the applications without public participation.
He said the department would never sideline or undermine the mandatory public participation processes, as stipulated in the Municipal Planning By-law.
Modingoane said applicants were required to submit an affidavit showing that the advertisement requirements had been complied with.
Read more: Pipeline project underway to address sewage spills in Waterfall Dam and Vorna Valley Vlei
'Land Use Management cannot proceed with the evaluation of an application until proof of advertisement is submitted, and where the processes are not complied with, they must be reported to the department for investigation. The department has not recently received any complaints of missing documents or incorrect records.'
He concluded that the city's website had been assessed by Corporate Geo-Informatics for broken links and errors in the uploading of documents.
Details: Advertised application documents can be requested through the Manager Land Use Management Registration: kerilengd@ or visit the Development Planning Help Desk.
Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest updates and inspiration! Have a story idea? We'd love to hear from you – join our WhatsApp group and share your thoughts!
At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
