Mission

The Mission of the Association is to provide an oversight function, contributing productively to the achievement of its Vision; implemented through a continuing review of the integrity, efficiency and effectiveness of the Council, while addressing the prevailing concerns of the ratepayers and residents of the City of Mbabane.

Objectives

The Objectives of the Association are:
i) To promote active membership and to represent the interests of all members, and to keep them informed on all relevant issues through regular communication and consultation.

ii) To offer visible support to the Mbabane Municipal Council in its day to day activities, through inclusive dialogue and constructive engagement, thereby promoting a harmony of purpose between the Association and the Municipal Council of Mbabane.

iii) To assist in preserving, developing and extending the infrastructure and natural beauty and character of the City of Mbabane and its peri-urban areas and environment.

iv) To promote fundamental human rights, social welfare, youth development, quality of life and security of home and occupancy and employment for all the ratepayers and residents of Mbabane.

v) To be the oversight voice of the ratepayers and residents of the City of Mbabane, ensuring that the Council and other relevant authorities are fully and correctly aware of the views of the Association’s members.

vi) To ensure that the membership is satisfied with the service provided by the respective elected councilor in each ward of the City of Mbabane.

vii) To actively engage and coordinate with any other ratepayers’ associations and other initiatives, which seek to promote and protect the interests of ratepayers and residents.

Strategies

To achieve its Objectives, the Association’s membership shall elect an Executive Committee to represent it, which will pursue the following Strategies:

(i) Engage in periodic meetings with the Council in the manner defined within the new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), drafted and ready for signature with the Council.

(ii) Meet at least quarterly, with the Council, who would be represented either by the Mayor and team of councillors, or by the Chief Executive Officer and management team,

(iii) Discuss with Council and interrogate the key issues, such as rate percentages, valuation processes, capital expenditure programmes, infrastructure development and maintenance, financing arrangements, revenue expenditure levels and cash flow projections and management.

(iv) Report regularly to its members on the outcome of the discussions with the Council.

(v) Assist in the identification of prospective councilors for the respective elections, and periodically review the opinion of ward ratepayers and residents regarding the quality of service provided by councilors.

Comments

The Association has been constituted against a background of concern regarding the activities of the Council, especially the recent property revaluation process, capital expenditure programmes, revenue expenditure levels and the state of the roads of the City.

The Association seeks to achieve an equitable rating system that encourages socio-economic development, in a spirit of harmony and goodwill between all of the people of Mbabane. The new Constitution has captured the firm commitment to promote the welfare of all residents through regular dialogue with the Municipal Council of Mbabane, Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and all other relevant bodies.

The fundamental purpose of the Association is not to usurp or obstruct the work of the Council, including ward councilors, but rather to “engage” in a productive and harmonious manner. Earlier dialogue in the previous two decades has not met its objectives. Currently, an obvious reluctance by the Council to revive discussions has prevented the ratepayers and residents from obtaining the assurances that they are, and will be, getting value-for-money from the rates paid.

Our power at present lies not in legislative clout but in the STRENGTH OF OUR VOICE. As a pressure group, and when the chips are down, the Association will only be as powerful as the pressure it can impose on the both the Council and other public sector authorities. That power is directly proportionate to the number of members of the Association in active and vocal support.

We The People

Vision

The Vision of the Association is of the City of Mbabane sustaining its beauty, safety and supporting of the needs of all its residents and other users.