Mathendele’s 17-yr-old committee dissolved

NHLANGANO – Residents of Mathendele, on Sunday, resolved to dismiss a committee that has been in place for 17 years.

This came after one of the committee members locked a community preschool, demanding a hiked rent from E300 to E2 500. The community member, who was identified as Sibandze, also had the community water registered under his name.

It was said that Sibandze claimed to be the chairperson of the ‘chiefdom committee’.

Following the preschool closure, community members went to his home, demanding to know how he had been appointed to be in charge of the preschool. What frustrated the parents was that the structure belonged to the chiefdom and was supposed to be used as a community school.

The Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) had to intervene and the preschool was opened. It was then concluded that a meeting be scheduled for Sunday, so that Sibandze would come with the other committee members as well as the traditional authorities of the area.

Collected

During the meeting convened on Sunday, the committee was dissolved, after being in place for 17 years. The community members were requested to present finances, in particular the money collected as rent for the preschool and other tenants within the compound.

They did not have the money and instead left the meeting after learning that they had been dissolved. Meanwhile, the community members then discussed issues of crime in the area, wherein police officers sensitised the community on crime prevention.

They advised residents not to walk alone at night.

Even the textile workers, in particular females, were advised to walk in groups of five to avoid being attacked. The community members also raised concerns over the escalating crime, further suggesting the installation of high mast lights and the appointment of community police. Some residents shared that community police wanted to be paid to deal with crime in the area.

Problem

Contrary to that, the community police shared that their problem was that they did not have resources, including lights, whistles, airtime to call for backup and could not afford other essentials. They shared that they were willing to work, if only they had the needed resources.

It was concluded in the meeting that there would be community police who would be chosen in each street and area to easily attend to issues. The police also shared that they were going to capacitate the community police and prepare them for the job.

The community also complained about poor roads and asked the councillor what he was doing about it.

(Pics: Melisa Msweli) Some of the community members who were present during the meeting. (Inset) Nhlangano Police Station Commander Senior Superintendent Mduduzi Matsebula, who gave residents of Mathendele his number to report crime and further send him pictures or call whenever they came across a drunK police officer.