The Lowveld is waiting, Mr Ngala
Over the months Lowvelder has sent various questions to the spokesperson of Mbombela, Joseph Ngala. Very few has been answered.
September 2, 2020
Media queries regarding the Auditor General's report from the 2020/21 IDP review were sent.
What were the issues surrounding outdoor advertising revenue collection? What action has been taken and what else needs to be done? What are the issues surrounding revenue due to the landfill site? What steps have been taken and what steps still need to be taken?
The queries were never responded to.
October 21, 2020
Media queries regarding illegal electricity connections in Belladonna Street were sent along with photographs from the public were sent.
Is the municipality aware of these illegal connections? Is the municipality familiar with this property? What steps does the municipality take against illegal electricity connections? Is the house abandoned or is it owned by someone and just not maintained? Who is the owner? Have the people believed to be staying in the house been approached by the municipality? If so, when? What was said? How much of an issue are illegal electricity connections in Mbombela? How much do these illegal connections cost the municipality? What are the dangers surrounding illegal connections?
The queries were never responded to.
January 11, 2021
Media queries regarding overgrown and abandoned property, which has made residents feel unsafe, were sent.
Could you please identify which department of the municipality is responsible for the safety of this property? Is there a security company on payroll to look after the security of the property? Who can we speak to, to install lights and to trim the overgrown bushes on the property? Is this property known for housing potential criminals in the past?
There was no response to these queries.
January 27, 2021
A media query surrounding water issues in Hazyview was sent.
How has the municipality responded to the water situation over the last three days?
A response was not forthcoming.
March 8, 2021
Media queries surrounding street lights and uncut grass following a murder in Geelhout Street were sent.
Has the municipality received any reports of broken street lights? If not, how do residents report these issues to ensure they get through to the municipality with the issues? If the municipality has received complaints, has it started fixing broken street lights? If so, when and where? If not, why not? Will the municipality be fixing the street lights around Geelhout following the murder? If so, when? If not, why not? How does the municipality respond to residents claiming the dark streets contribute to an increase in crime? When was the last time the municipality cut the vlei? When will it be cut again? How does the municipality respond to the vlei being an area for criminals to hide? Is the municipality concerned about this? If so, why? If not, why not? Why does the municipality stop residents from burning the grass when it is long if the grass is not cut?
A response was not received.
March 23, 2021
Media queries regarding the roads in Shabalala Village were sent.
The dirt roads in Shabalala Village, outside Hazyview (near Hosanna Church and orphanage), are they municipal roads?
Can you please comment on this? Is Ward 1 the last ward to receive repairs, and when will this be? The road is currently only filled with sand and stones, which is not a permanent solution. Is there any plan to properly attend to the roads in these rural areas?
A response was not received.
March 29, 2021
Media queries regarding trucks in White River were sent.
How long has the issue being ongoing? What steps have been taken by council to stop trucks from stopping in the town and using it as an overnight truck stop? Has council addressed the community or the ratepayers association at all? If so, when? If not, why not? Will Mbombela’s traffic be willing to meet with the community to address concerns? If not, why not? If so, when can the ratepayers expect to be contacted by the municipality? Where are the truck stops that trucks should be stopping at? Where is the nearest truck stop from White River? Will the municipality consider making a truck stop in White River? If not, why not? If so, when did plans start and when will plans be discussed with the community?
A response was not forthcoming.
April 20, 2021
Media queries regarding people placed at Thembeka Hostels were sent.
How is the municipality assisting the people who were placed at Thembeka Hostels after their homes were affected by storms in KaNyamazane? What are the future plans for those people?
The query went unanswered.