GRA - WHO ARE THEY?

The Grahamstown Residents’ Association grew out of the long-established Ratepayers’ Association, but differs from it in that its membership is open to all residents of Makana Municipality, and not only to ratepayers.

Traditional Ratepayer Association functions are now cared for (or should be) by Ward Committees, and the GRA functions primarily as a Municipal Accountability Monitor. Each member of our Management Committee is allocated a Municipal Portfolio ( such as Finance, Technical and Infrastructure, Parks and Recreation, Health, Economic Development) and he or she attends all the Committee and other meetings in that portfolio.

Each month, all the meetings are debriefed, and captured in detailed minutes which have up to now been posted at the Libraries, but will now appear on this website. All this has positioned the GRA as a critical and independent watchdog body, to monitor the actions of Councillors and Officials , who know they will be operating in the public eye at all times.

A column on Municipal Affairs is contributed monthly to Grocott's Mail, and keeps members and the public informed.

Memorandum from GRA to Makana Municipality concerning infrastructure and service delivery available here.

Minutes of a meeting between GRA and Mayor Kate available here.

Report from GRA expressing concern at the discrepancies between the Makana Budget and Treasury recommendations available here.

The GRA annually elects a Management Committee and reports to its members at its AGM, in March. The current Management Committee is:

• Chairperson: Prof. Dominic Thorburn
• Hon. Treasurer: Mr. David Hodgson.
• Committee:
  • Mr. D. Biermann
  • Miss J. Dalton
  • Mr. R. Embling
  • Prof. D. Hendry
  • Mrs. R. Hobson
  • Mr. W. Makkink
  • Mr. K. Pittman
  • Mr. C. Whitford

Address: PO Box 2075, Grahamstown, 6140. e.mail: gra@smarthost.co.za

This site hosted as a service to the Grahamstown Community by ANY consulting.