Residents vent anger at municipality

By Emily Setona

QWAQWA – Frustrated residents of ward 28 in the Maluti-a-Phofung municipality could not conceal their disdain as they said they are tired of what they call ‘the lies that the municipality consistently tells them’.

This transpired at an Integrated Development Plan (IDP) meeting that was held on February 22 at the Letotolo primary school soccer ground.

In the absence of the ward councillor, IDP Member of Mayoral Committee (MMC) Napo Letlala led the meeting in ward 28, that afforded the community a platform to vent out their frustrations as they were requested to share what are their ward’s priority developmental needs.

Addressing audience, Letsema Seapi from Theosane in Mabolela said it is very sad and disheartening to be gathered as adults and residents of ward 28 at 10 O’ clock in the morning to discuss the IDP as it showed that the people do not have jobs and it is primarily the fault of the government.

“I don’t understand the contents of this document and need some clarity on it because it has been 10 years since we have provided the service delivery needs that we want prioritized but nothing has happened.

“On the issue of electricity, no new lights have been installed all high must lights were just fixed and when it comes to water, we don’t have water; many JoJo tanks have been installed here and there but they are dry and without water. VIP toilets have been installed but they are not treated as VIP toilets because they have not been drained in the past five years or so.

“We ask the municipality to get its house in order and stop coming here for these meetings to lie to us. When you report back to your superiors, we ask that you use our grievances as a reference not the contents of this document,” Seapi said.

Letlala responded: “As a delegation from the executive mayor’s office it is by law that we come here to confirm the contents of an IDP document that you as residents have contributed to a few years back, so that we clarify what the priority needs in your community are.

“This meeting is not a complaint session about what the councillor is doing or not doing, but rather an opportunity for you as residents to state if you are still satisfied with the contents of the IDP document that we have in our possession and are here to discuss, whether you would like to add or remove some things.”

According to the issues raised by other residents the following are the priority service delivery matters that residents of ward 28 want addressed soon:

• “the provision of adequate water supply and fixing of sewerage systems;
• the electrification of a large number of houses and the installation and maintenance of street lights; and
• the fixing and paving of roads in the ward as well as the building of bridges and the maintenance of open spaces that are owned by the municipality.
• Ward 28 consists of the Elite, Mabolela (Mahankeng, Mkabatane, Phahameng, Theosane, Vergenoeg) Chris Hani and Planet.