A group of placard-waving residents from Zolani and Phaphamani informal settlements gathered outside the City Hall on Friday to meet with Makana Mayor Vumile Lwana, who never arrived.
A group of placard-waving residents from Zolani and Phaphamani informal settlements gathered outside the City Hall on Friday to meet with Makana Mayor Vumile Lwana, who never arrived.
The residents wanted an explanation as to when the municipality will install basic services in their areas. The placards they were carrying read: "We want electricity!" Zolani resident Johnny Helesi said: "We had a residents' meeting on Sunday and we decided to make an appointment with the mayor to discuss the lack of electricity in our areas," he explained. "We met him on Tuesday afternoon where we discussed this issue."
He said Lwana admitted that he knew about the problem and was shocked that the municipal officials have not taken action. Helesi added that Lwana told him last Tuesday that R4-million has been set aside by the municipality for installing electricity in Zolani. "He promised to discuss this further with us today [Friday], but we are told that he is out of town."
Another resident Ramsey Sontsonga said: "I'm here to get answers from the mayor, we want electricity, roads and flushing toilets. If he doesn't respond to our demands we are not going to vote in next year's municipal elections."
He added that they have been staying in Zolani for more than 20 years, and that other areas are being developed but there is "nothing" happening in Zolani. "Each an every time we want something we are told that it has not been approved in Bhisho. According to the law of this country, everyone should get services, whether they are in informal settlements or not," said Sontsonga.
Another resident, Ntombomzi Ngaphi, said: "We have children who are still at school and they are going to write exams soon, it is difficult for them." She added that crime is high in their areas because it's dark. "We ask the municipality to install electricity in our areas," she added.
Sandisiwe Ngqoyiya, a learner at Kutliso Daniels High School said it is difficult for her to study at night. "Sometimes we don't have paraffin, making it difficult to do our homework, and teachers do not understand our situation in Zolani," she said. Helesi said they were shocked by Lwana's absence.
"We were not told where the mayor is, but we were informed that he is out of town. We find it unacceptable that the mayor would promise to give us response today but he is not here. He should have checked his diary and found a suitable day to meet us. He did not do that, in fact he does not care because he has electricity in his house."
Attempts to speak to the municipality drew a blank as spokesperson Thandy Matebese could not be reached for comment at the time of going to print.
