As a trustee, you get to understand why the world is in the mess it’s in. In fact, you get your nose rubbed in it – almost on a daily basis. Our new estate manager was relating to me today about how she encountered and had a conversation with a pensioner living in one of our units.
“the trustees are on the take!” Sir do you have proof of this? please can you give me more information on this? No adequate response or proof was provided when engaged.
“Everything is falling apart! Sir, have you taken a walk through the complex? Can you tell me where things are so bad? Again nothing concrete was provided.
“The trustees don’t communicate or have meetings! Do they know what’s happening in this complex?!!” Sir do you know the names of the trustees? The trustees send out notices to your registered email every month. Two of the trustees sit in on the weekly supplier/service provider meetings to ensure issues and planned actions are kept on track. Did you know they encourage owners to arrange a face-to-face meeting for any issues to be discussed?
It’s unfortunate that people have enormous amounts of energy to complain, be mean and nasty and take action accordingly but the opposite is not true. In my time of trusteeship, I have never heard of anyone coming forward and asking if they can assist or provide a solution to a problem encountered, spending some time working with the trustees/service providers, etc for the benefit of one and all in the complex. If ever I do, I probably will fall over and die of shock…..
Since serious trustees are looking to get the job done, and therefore have no time for anything else, they don’t play at politics and employ sheeple tactics like those who look to further their own agenda – see here. While we are busy working with service providers to get things done, there are groups and individuals spending time trying to get owners to vote us out via SGM or lay the foundation for ousting us at the next AGM. A WhatsApp group was created for what seems the express purpose to point out everything that is wrong with decisions being made by trustees and service providers. Trustees are regularly bad-mouthed and deliberately misleading and defamatory statements are made to rile up all in the group – almost daily!!
What is really sad is that a large group of people would rather join this group and have this vitriol and hateful, unconstructive statements hit their feed regularly, instead of actually approaching the trustees and service providers directly to get their side of the story ie verify any statements before passing judgment. However, isn’t this exactly what happens in the world in general? At least where I come from – I can only hope there are parts of the world where saner societal behavior prevails.
Those who want to further their own agenda have a field day manipulating sheeple. We observed via ‘engagement’ on trustee meetings, and feedback by owners on the WhatsApp groups how relatively easy it was to get large of people riled up over miscommunication, lies, and carefully constructed agendas. Yet it would have been so easy to ask for PROOF of statements and approach the accused parties directly. Apparently, this does not enter the mind of Sheeple. Much easier to be fed information by any who put in the energy to do so – and those with agendas have tremendous amounts of energy – because of the prize.
In a large complex, the levy income brought in every month attracts certain unsavory parties who understand how the system can be worked to their benefit. Of course, there are other agendas as well. Massive egos, prejudice, and power games. Again, though, I would bet good money that at the end of the day, looting is the main motivation.
I am starting to think it should become mandatory that in the Sectional Title Act, it becomes compulsory that prospective first-time owners get TOLD in unflowery terms exactly what they are getting into. It must be drilled in that Sectional Title is governed by a group of trustees elected by all owners. The successful running of the complex must involve working knowledge of the Act, the election of responsible and ethical trustees, accountability of both owners and trustees, and active support of trustees in the execution of their duties. Anything less is a recipe for disaster.
I am also thinking of intelligent ways to address the above challenge. Watch this space!