Pastor told to pay to fix road

IN A NEW low for Sol Plaatje Municipality, a local pastor says he was instructed to pay municipal workers a bribe of R1 500 to repair a road that was badly damaged by potholes.

CRC zone pastor Richard Williams wrote a letter of complaint to the municipality after he had waited “for a couple of months” for the local authority to repair Boshof Road in Ernestville, which leads into the church, to no avail.

“We applied for the road to be repaired as it has unbearable potholes. Our congregants are saddled with relentless bills to repair their tyres due to the damage caused by the craters in the road,” Williams said.

He explained that, out of sheer desperation, he had decided to approach municipal workers who were fixing a road in West End for assistance.

“I drove past them (the municipal workers) and not knowing what the procedures were, I asked them to assist and they agreed.”

Williams indicated that an arrangement was made to meet at the church, where contact numbers were exchanged.

“They came as per the agreement and requested that we pay them R1 500 up front before they could start with the work. The fact that they asked for money for municipal work raised an alarm and I sent them away. They have not returned and left some of the tar at the church premises.”

Williams said he arrived at the conclusion that the workers were not authorised to fix the road.

“I humbly request that the road be fixed, as it is really bad. We consequently decided to temporarily close the holes by filling it with concrete.”

Members of his congregation added that it did not cost more than R500 to fill the potholes with concrete.

“The pastor has not received any response from the municipality. The only problem is that it will not be long before the potholes appear again because filling the potholes with concrete is not a permanent solution.”

A local businessman, who did not wish to be identified, added that he had resorted to paying municipal workers to repair potholes.

“It is the only way that the work will get done.”

Spokesperson for Sol Plaatje Sello Matsie said yesterday that they would arrange with security to collect the drum of tar from the church as it is municipal property.

“We will also be investigating the theft of the tar. The person who offered the bribe should be arrested and criminally charged, while internal disciplinary proceedings will be instituted.

“It is against the law to pay for municipal services because payment is made through rates and taxes. Once you pay you become involved in an act of corruption, and blackmail. The municipality does not condone the payment of bribes. Any payment made to the municipality should be done with the issue of a receipt.

“Nobody should pay a cent to our employees, it is wrong and is not allowed.

“Members of the public should not succumb to paying municipal workers ‘Christmas boxes’ or for the use of honey suckers to clear out septic tanks and the collection of refuse.”

Matsie added that the municipality spent millions of rand to fill potholes, using taxpayers’ money.

“The conditions of our roads are of concern and we are working on it. Each request is dealt with on its own merits. The potholes have been exacerbated by the rain and heavy duty trucks making use of the roads.”