5. Rights and duties of members of local community
- Members of the local community have the right-
- through mechanisms and in accordance with processes and procedures provided for in terms of this Act or other applicable legislation to-
- contribute to the decision-making processes of the municipality; and
- submit written or oral recommendations, representations and complaints to the municipal council or to another political structure or a political office bearer or the administration of the municipality;
- to prompt responses to their written or oral communications, including complaints, to the municipal council or to another political structure or a political office bearer or the administration of the municipality;
- to be informed of decisions of the municipal council, or another political structure or any political office bearer of the municipality, affecting their rights, property and reasonable expectations;
- to regular disclosure of the state of affairs of the municipality, including its finances;
- to demand that the proceedings of the municipal council and those of its committees must be-
- open to the public, subject to section 20;
- conducted impartially and without prejudice; and
- untainted by personal self-interest;
- to the use and enjoyment of public facilities; and
- to have access to municipal services which the municipality provides, provided the duties set out in subsection (2)(b) are complied with.
- Members of the local community have the duty-
- when exercising their rights, to observe the mechanisms, processes and procedures of the municipality;
- where applicable, and subject to section 97(1)(c), to pay promptly service fees, surcharges on fees, rates on property and other taxes, levies and duties imposed by the municipality;
- to respect the municipal rights of other members of the local community;
- to allow municipal officials reasonable access to their property for the performance of municipal functions; and
- to comply with by-laws of the municipality applicable to them.