Residents in the Laudium/Erasmia area are fed up with the poor services received by the ANC-led Tshwane Council, but seemingly cannot do much about it, other than to wait for the Local Government Elections on November 4, to hopefully remove the incompetent and corrupt Councillors.
This follows more complaints received by the Laudium Sun, concerning the Council’s poor service delivery in the area. This time residents from Laudium’s 2nd Avenue and surrounding areas complained this past Monday (May 4) about a water gushing onto the street for about two weeks. Residents say that the water leak at the corner of Jewel Str and 2nd Ave, near the Kharbai Engen, has resulted in water pressure in the area being low and that they fear that the Council would add to their Municipal accounts the water that has been running down the street due to the leak. Residents also say that despite numerous complaints lodged about the water leakage, the Council, as usual, was taking its own time to have it fixed, seemingly not bothered by the huge wastage of clean water.
Salim Mohammed of 2nd Avenue, told the Laudium Sun, “It has been more than two weeks since we complained about the water leaking from a water valve on the sidewalk, but despite our complaints to the Council, they have not sent anyone to come and fix it. A huge amount of clean drinking water is being wasted, as it continues to gush out due to this ongoing leak, which is the result of Council negligence. This is a very serious issue because we have previously received notifications from the Council about water restrictions and possible water cuts due to water shortages in Gauteng. However, what is happening now shows a clear contradiction, as a significant amount of water is being lost daily, while nothing is being done to stop it. It appears as though the problem is being ignored, even with the continuous wastage of a valuable resource. The situation is very concerning for residents because if there is any water shortage or scheduled shutdown in Laudium in the future, the community will suffer the consequences. At the same time, there is also the fear that residents in the area may receive unusually high water bills due to the continuous flow of water from the leaking valve. The longer the issue remains unresolved, the greater the potential financial impact on households in the area. This matter requires urgent attention. The Council must take responsibility and fix the leak without further delay. The local Ward Councillor must be aware of this situation, especially since the location is close to the Engen garage, a busy and visible point in the area. Despite this, there has been no visible intervention or response, which raises concerns among residents about accountability and responsiveness. Promises of service delivery are often highlighted during election times, but in this case, there is no visible action reflecting those promises. Residents are left questioning where are the commitments to service delivery, when basic issues like this remain unattended to, for weeks.
Ali Zala Por, a petrol attendant at the Kharbai Engen garage ,told the Laudium Sun, “The water leakage in front of our garage has been ongoing for about two weeks now and a large amount of clean water has already been wasted as it continues to flow onto the street. The leak is clearly visible to anyone passing by the area, yet no effective action has been taken to address it. Residents in the area have already lodged complaints regarding the water leakage, but there has been no response or intervention from the Council. The continuous flow of water has been observed daily and it is clear that the problem is not being attended to with urgency by the Council officials. This lack of action has raised concern among people working and living in the area, as the wastage is happening right in front of our eyes. The location of the leak, directly opposite our petrol station, makes it even more noticeable, as many people pass by the area throughout the day. Despite this high visibility, there has still been no repair work carried out and the situation remains the same. The ongoing leakage reflects poorly on maintenance efforts and creates frustration among those who regularly witness this waste of water. The Council is supposed to address such an issue promptly, especially when it involve the continuous loss and wastage of clean water.”
Michelle Govender of Jewel Street, told the Laudium Sun, “This clean water flowing onto the street in front of our house is not a joke at all. The Councillor seems not to be interested in what is happening in our community, because if there was real concern, Council workers would have already been sent to stop this wastage of so much clean water. This is a serious concern and it feels like the Council does not take Laudium residents seriously at all, even though we are paying high utility bills every month. It is very frustrating to see such wastage happening continuously, while nothing is being done to repair it or even to respond properly to the complaints that have been raised. Service delivery in this area has become a major concern and under Ward Councillor Naeem Patel, it feels like it has gone from bad to worse. Residents are left feeling ignored, as basic issues like water leaks are not being addressed with urgency. The ongoing situation shows a lack of attention to important community problems, especially when it involves essential services like water. The continuous waste of clean water is unacceptable and is impacting the community as a whole. Immediate action is needed to stop the leak and to ensure that such a valuble resource is not wasted any further.”
The Laudium Sun contacted the relevant Municipality office on Tuesday (May 5) and we were assured that the water leak would be given immediate attention.