Ikora, Uncedo, residents join march
EMLM ordered to answer on issues
Poor management and corruption within Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality (EMLM), resulting in non-delivery of quality and basic services, saw fed-up residents join in a peaceful march to the community services offices on Wednesday.
Independent Komani Resident Association (iKora) members and residents from Mlungisi, Lesseyton and Ezibeleni marched from the Thobi Kula Indoor Sport Centre to hand over a memorandum of their demands.
Scores of people and several Uncedo Service Taxi Association vehicles blockaded Owen Street, demanding answers regarding poor road infrastructure and water and electricity issues, among others.
“We have noted with disgust the administration and leadership of this municipality, the corrupt conduct by politicians and municipal officials, the leadership vacuum, arrogance displayed mostly by public representatives elected into office, the systematic lack of accountability… and kleptocracy goes unpunished,” iKora secretary Thulani Bukani said as he read out the memorandum.
Bukani demanded “direct and satisfying” answers and timeframes regarding Hillside residents in Lesseyton being deprived of their basic human rights.
“We demand answers on the issue of water. Residents of Ezibeleni are given water in portions despite that there have been heavy rains.
“Why are the dams not serviced so they can provide clean community water and be able to encompass large volumes of water.
“We also demand a comprehensive investigative report on what happened to our community hall. A historical building was burnt down and no-one has been arrested or held accountable.
“We also demand answers on the said municipal workers who are said to be paid double their normal salaries.
“We demand electricity within reasonable timeframes at informal settlements in Mlungisi. They were promised they would have electricity before the end of November.”
Bukani said four crucial pillars in
municipal management – finance, constitutional arrangement, infrastructure and service delivery – needed to be in the hands of principled leaders.
“If not, the municipality will be transformed into an animal farm as EMLM tends to be,” he added.
“Every municipality is made up of three components, those are
politicians, administration and most importantly communities.
“But here in EMLM it seems not to be the case as it is fraudulently run by only two components, politicians and administration. The communities are left out in every meaningful aspect. The communities are forcefully replaced by cadreship, membership of a particular political party, the ANC, not by all but those few who enjoy proximity to the leadership depending on which faction you are in and which faction is in power,” Bukani alleged.
Uncedo Komani chair Siphlo Maselana said the association had tried to engage with the municipality on several occasions over the poor roads, adding the Fikile Gwadana road upgrade demanded immediate attention as their vehicles were being damaged on a daily basis.
Accepting the memorandum, acting EMLM community services director Aphiwe Mkhangelwa said it was “wellreceived”, and requested an urgent meeting on Monday to discuss each item with the leadership who assisted in tabling the grievances.
“We will deal with each item and provide answers. After this session, I am going to speak with the acting municipal manager to ensure we have all relevant stakeholders in the meeting.
“What we will not do is run away from the challenges faced by the residents of Enoch Mgijima because we believe that when we all engage to try and fix our wrongs as a municipality, we will then go back to become a municipality that people demand us to be.”