Residents have identified favouritism, nepotism, incompetency and infighting in the Makana council as the main causes of the municipality’s poor service delivery.
Residents have identified favouritism, nepotism, incompetency and infighting in the Makana council as the main causes of the municipality’s poor service delivery.
Residents voiced these concerns at a mayoral imbizo for Tantyi and Fingo residents at BB Zondani Hall on Tuesday, where Makana Mayor Pumelelo Kate’s presented the upcoming financial year’s budget. The hall was almost full to capacity as scores of people came to discuss the municipality’s performance.
Resident Nomvuyo Bethe said: "Pull up your socks, because as the residents we need service delivery".
She complained about a dumping site in her area which does not get cleared, the rolling out of poorly-built RDP houses due to lack of municipal inspection, and the allocation of RDP houses to residents who already own houses.
No action
At the outset of the meeting Municipal Manager Ntombi Baart outlined its purpose, saying that the views of the residents are important. One resident began her speech by disputing this, saying that the idea exists "in words but not in actions".
She also expressed dismay that Kate had not mentioned any planned developments in ward 7 during his presentation, even though parts of that area still need basic services such as electricity, sewage and housing.
She cited a long list of unfulfilled promises made during previous imbizos, adding that contrary to Kate’s statement that Joza will benefit from the second phase of Project Fak’ iTar, no roads have been tarred in the area since the project was introduced.
"The whip which you are using [for Ward 7]councillor [Nomhle] Gaga doesn’t hit her because she has fulltime employment, but it punishes us, the poor residents," she said.
Some residents wanted to know why RDP houses in Grahamstown were poorly built whereas they are bigger and better in other towns such as Port Elizabeth, Bathurst, Port Alfred and Alexandria.
"Why is Grahamstown behind the other towns?" one resident asked.
The head of Makana’s housing portfolio committee, councillor Ntsikelelo Stamper, explained that the provincial government prescribes the quality and size of houses that each municipality can build in an area. Houses for inland towns such as Grahamstown differ from those of coastal areas such as Port Elizabeth and Port Alfred.
Unfulfilled promises
A resident from Xolani complained that there was no electricity in the informal settlement. She said that Kate had failed to honour his promise of a speedy resolution to their plight, which he had made after the citizen’s protest march to City Hall in February.
Hlalani residents complained about small houses and the lack of a community hall in their area, while "J" Street residents wanted to know why their street was left out when roads in Fingo were tarred several years ago.
A resident from the informal settlement near "J" Street said that no services are delivered to her settlement. She said she was disappointed that the municipality does not have immediate plans to develop the area.
"We don’t even get plastic refuse bags," she said.
A pensioner from the same settlement said that residents from their area are considering a march to City Hall to protest against lack of services.
"You are fortunate to be speaking with us at this meeting because things would have been different had we marched there," he warned.
