Residents in rural areas march on city

WHILE uncertainty looms in Msunduzi Municipality following media reports that it is technically under administration, residents from the outlying Elandskop area marched on City Hall this week to demand proper delivery of services.

The Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs has rated Pietermaritzburg city as one of the province’s “poor performing municipalities”.

Residents from as far as Elandskop say they have been living without basic services for a long time.

“We have not had water since January. There is no transparency when it comes to job opportunities, no public participation when the budget is being drawn up,” said march convener Siyabonga Siqwayi.

“Decisions are taken on behalf of the community without our participation.

“There is rampant corruption in the construction of roads P402 and the incomplete D1122.

“We cannot afford to act as if it’s business as usual when marginalised communities like ours are being ignored by the elected leaders.

“We are tired of lip service. We want service delivery,” he said.siqwayi handed over a memorandum of demands to Msunduzi mayor Themba Njilo. The memorandum was accepted by municipal speaker Jabu Ngubo on behalf of Njilo.

Among other things, the memorandum demands answers as to what happened to the R70 million designated for maintenance and the upgrading of the P402 and D1122 roads, and also why children were denied access to a community hall in the area.