We need to get back to the basics of life

THE grim service delivery developments of the past week paint an interesting picture ahead of this year’s provincial and national elections.

In a time when political parties usually take the lead with extravagant electioneering and the promotion of manifestos along with free T-shirts, food hampers and brand new homes, the roles have somewhat changed.

In the past week alone,

City of uMhlathuze residents bemoaned the lack of water supply and refuse collection, even staging a silent bin protest in the suburbs.

Fed-up ratepayers are holding their democratically elected leaders accountable for the nondelivery of essential services.

In other words, we don’t need your free food, undesirable casual attire and promises of new houses.

Fix our roads, remove our rubbish and let water flow uninterrupted through our taps.

The tables have turned and Zululanders are now seeking legal assistance to withhold municipal rates until services are rendered - and rightfully so.

It is at this pivotal juncture that years of non-maintenance have finally caught up with local government leadership.

The once gullible electorate now has the trump card. Deliver our services or we will withhold our rates.

So it is the wise politicians who heed the call for pothole repairs and overgrown verges, who will eventually pip their competitors.

Instead of visiting wards with pre-arranged manifestos, political parties should base their electioneering strategies on actually fixing the identified problems.

The voters want to see results before the election, not postballot. The media is a mirror to community frustrations.

In the lead story featured in this edition, eNtumeni farmers have resorted to repairing the area’s access roads themselves, spending thousands of rands annually with no assistance from provincial government.

The people have had enough and are taking it upon themselves to fix the mediocrity and inefficiency of government.

Don’t even try glamorous election events – political parties should spend the same money on buying new refuse trucks or fixing pothole-riddled roads.

As clearly outlined in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, the most basic needs including food and water, sufficient rest, clothing and shelter and overall health, must be met before humans can move on to their next level of fulfilment.

It’s a call of action for our leaders to get back to the basics of life and listen to the pleas of voters at their point of need.