Warwick Bruce Chapman

Dear Friends (and mischievous others)

The media have cottoned onto this so it is the appropriate time for me to clarify publicly.

Effective end June 2013, I have resigned as a councillor of the eThekwini municipality and as Deputy Chairperson of the Democratic Alliance in KwaZulu-Natal. I have been given an opportunity to apply my professional skillset to a new position which has been created at the DA’s National Head Office in Cape Town, where I will be overseeing the party’s various information systems.

I have served the public in the capacity of ward councillor for nearly five years now. My introduction to elected politics as ward councillor for Pinetown, and then Glenwood / Umbilo was a baptism of fire. Both are challenging communities with difficult issues to fight, and know I am a better public representative for these experiences.

The media, egged on by the mischievous others, have cooked up another story about why I am leaving. Don’t worry about that. The truth boils down to me making a change for myself that allows me to make a more strategic and hopefully more effective contribution to the party and cause I signed up for in late 2007.

I have lived and worked in Ballito and Durban for the past 25+ years of my life and I look forward to the change of City, and the challenges of a new role.

The decision to resign and accept the position offered to me was extremely difficult to make. I have invested myself heavily in the challenges facing the Glenwood and Umbilo community, and in the political challenges facing the Democratic Alliance in KwaZulu-Natal. Also extremely important to me is the role I play at the Natal Settlers Memorial Homes as the head of a team of passionate individuals who have been setting that crucial social welfare organisation back on the right track over the past year.

I have thus negotiated to stay on in my current position for an additional two months in order to ensure those responsibilities are handed over as effectively and responsibly as possible.

I will miss the people of Glenwood and Umbilo, the wonderful Bulwer Park, the warm ocean and Goundens’ famous bunny chows.

At heart I will always be a Glenwood boy, and an ambassador of KwaZulu-Natal.

I remain committed to the Democratic Alliance as this country’s greatest hope for clean and effective government.

Yours faithfully
Warwick Chapman

The Speaker – eThekwini Council
Councillor Logie Naidoo
City Hall
DURBAN

15 February 2013

Dear Mr Speaker

QUESTIONS IN TERMS OF SECTION 17 OF THE RULES OF ORDER

1. Has H2O Networks been awarded a contract to connect around 200 council sites via fibre?
2. What are H2O networks being paid per metre for this contract, bearing in mind traditional cost is around R150 per metre including road reinstatements?
3. Were H2O paid around R22m for laying only 100km of fibre during 2010/11/12, ie. R220 per metre?
   1. Did H2O only use the sewer and storm water systems or did they make use of existing city-owned Metroconnect sleeves/ducts/trenches ?
   2. What percentage of traditional versus sewer/storm water system was used by H2O in this rollout?
   3. Are there sign off files for this project including full GIS data, photos and other technical details?
   4. Did H2O Networks get all the correct permissions and wayleaves to put fibre into our stormwater and sewer network?
4. Will H2O Networks be using existing municipal infrastructure in their latest deployment and if so, has their price been reduced accordingly?
5. According to the contract with H2O networks, only 10 cores of fibre on a cable are being paid for by eThekwini:
   1. Does eThekwini own these 10 cores; and
   2. Who owns the ducts that have been laid by H2O during this rollout?
6. Given the above, were eThekwini to desire changing contractors in future, how would this change be effected as it would appear that H2O may have other customers using the remaining cores of the same cables as eThekwini?
7. Do H2O networks use proprietary technology for their cable systems that will not allow anyone else to work on that cable?
   1. If yes, does the City acknowledge that this has the effect of locking eThekwini into a long-term contract with H2O that cannot be won by any other bidder in future?
8. Is H2O networks using municipal sleeves/ducts/trenches for cables that are supplying connectivity to 3rd party customers?

Yours faithfully

Councillor Warwick Chapman

The Speaker – eThekwini Council
Councillor Logie Naidoo
City Hall
DURBAN

15 February 2013

Dear Mr Speaker

NOTICE OF MOTION IN TERMS OF RULE OF ORDER 13

This council noting:
- The desire to rid the eThekwini council of corruption
- The desire for a transparent and interference free tender process in eThekwini

Resolves that:
- the Supply Chain Management policy be amended to open the proceedings of the bid adjudication committee to be observed by members of the the public.

Yours faithfully

Councillor Warwick Chapman

The Speaker – eThekwini Council
Councillor Logie Naidoo
City Hall
DURBAN

18 August 2012

Dear Mr Speaker

NOTICE OF MOTION IN TERMS OF RULE OF ORDER 13

Neglected park in Morans Ln, Berea

Speech to eThekwini council on 30 July 2012 in motivation of my Parks Motion.  The motion was voted down despite the support of almost all opposition parties:

The “rapidly changing land use of our City” is evidenced by the urgency with which the Development Planning Department has undertaken the Berea Land Use Management review as part of the Urban Core study in order to better manage the relatively uncontrolled growth of mixed use and commercial uses of our desperately needed residential land.

The “changing priorities of city government” acknowledges the fact that the municipality has a much broader set of responsibilities than merely maintaining the leafy nature of many of our suburbs. This is evidenced by the fact that the Parks department is completely unable to meet its obligations which has resulted in many neglected parks and public open spaces across the City.

Many of these neglected public open spaces are used by criminals, vagrants and as sites for illegal dumping. These activities contribute to the degradation of the surrounding residences, thus significantly affecting the quality of life of many of the people of our city. As a City which emphasizes quality of life, liveability and a caring approach to its inhabitants, I believe we are obliged to investigated proposals which may improve living conditions.

The proposal put forward in this motion takes into account the very changes in land use referred to above, where many residential suburbs, especially in parts of the City like the Berea, are now dominated by mixed and commercial land uses. However, the problem with such land uses being imposed on areas designed for residential purposes is that minimal off-street parking is available – entirely unsuitable for businesses.

The proposal seeks to investigate instances where neglected parks which are bounded by businesses can be adopted by those businesses in exchange for shared use of up to 25% of the area of the park as parking.

The businesses would then enter into a formal MOU with the Parks department which sets out the basis for the maintenance and upgrading of the Park to be shared by the council and the businesses.

The proposal seeks our approval for the Parks Department to investigate the possibility of entering into such partnerships to unlock the mutual benefits of increased off-street parking and improvement maintenance and cleanliness of our parks.

I urge you to support this practical proposal which could improve the quality of life of many people living in our City.

Park in Morans Ln, Berea – used as a dump, taxi parking, building storage, vagrants, copper thieves…