Despatch needs own sub-council
THE recent flooding and its damage as well as the looming water shortage has once again exposed the gaps in the current administration of Nelson Mandela Metro and their inability to deliver services in a short turnaround time to Despatch and the surrounding communities.
Some officials seem to be hell-bent on politicising essential delivery and to prohibit the desperate need for it in certain areas affecting especially the poor.
The Despatch water supply problem has been harassing Despatch residents of all backgrounds for years and the resolve of a seemingly simple issue just cannot be attained, which begs the question: Why only Despatch?
What angle is being played towards the residents of Despatch, the only completely DA-governed town in the metro district? Is delivery deliberately stifled to frustrate the DA voters?
I have for several years struggled to get the automatic open and shut valves replaced at the five freshwater reservoirs in Despatch.
The reservoirs overflow daily due to it being opened and closed manually, causing thousands of litres of fresh drinking water to be wasted daily. When the plumbers are short-staffed they cannot open it on time, which causes the town to run dry. This happens weekly at the worst of times. The plumbers in the Despatch area are overworked and understaffed due to the municipality’s inability to fill the critical vacancies.
This results in us having to share unqualified staff with one vehicle between two plumbers, with the equally overworked and understaffed Uitenhage plumber.
The flood damage to Despatch roads, infrastructure and private and business property has a similar despondent story.
The officials supposed to clean and maintain the drainage are overworked and burdened, resulting in time spent on fixing potholes etc, and not being able to clean, clear and install drainage.
The flood damage could have been less if the roads and stormwater teams had more experienced staff and senior qualified personnel.
I have, however, with much effort made progress in the area of calling for and facilitating preventative maintenance for water supply, and keep on pushing for local roads and stormwater teams and officials to remain working locally.
The situation as it currently stands once again shows that Despatch is ready to have localised services. No nomadic plumbing or stormwater teams – the time is ripe for a sub-council for Despatch, with its own municipal stores locally. We need our own municipal management system and our own 24-hour traffic services.
To resist the implementation of a sub-council is futile. It might as well happen now.
To resist delivery in DA-governed areas is just as futile due to cadres exposing themselves and their “inability” to make things happen.
The DA keeps delivering, even if being hindered and resisted, to our people nevertheless.
We look forward to establishing a sub-council for Despatch and other areas in the metro to bring proper government to the people upon taking over what is left of the Nelson Mandela Metro in 2016.