Just how much longer should residents tolerate the poor service delivery carried out by the ANC-led Tshwane Council, residents of Erasmia and Laudium are asking, as the areas fall deeper into decay.
This time, residents of Erasmia have told the Laudium Sun that they are tired of the Council’s failure to provide proper services in their area. Residents have pointed to collapsing infrastructure, with underground pipes often leaking and various sinkholes in the area.
Concerns have also been raised about the number of street signs that have, over months, fallen, are about to fall or are damaged, but have not yet been fixed by the Tshwane Council. One of the signs that has seemingly been knocked down several months back is a stop sign on the corner of M26 Main Road and Grey Street, Erasmia.
Residents say the stop sign, meant to control traffic on a very busy road, fell several months back and despite reporting the matter to the Council for it to be repaired, to date no one from the Council has attended to the complaint. As the stop sign is meant to be located at a critical and busy intersection, residents fear that a major accident could occur if it is not repaired soon. With the election period approaching, residents hope that Cllr Patel will take action, as he has been doing recently to gain some votes from residents, and then go into hibernation after the elections should he be re-elected.
Jones Hira, a resident of Grey Street, Erasmia, told the Laudium Sun, “This is really concerning, not only for the residents of Grey Street but also for all the residents of Erasmia and people who travel through this area. The stop sign situated at the corner of M26 Main Road and Grey Street was knocked down about five months back and nothing has been done to replace or repair it. We, the residents of Grey Street, have reported this problem to the Council office and also brought it to the attention of Cllr Patel on many occasions. Despite reporting it several times, no one has come to attend to the damaged stop sign. Even the street name sign is damaged and a no-entry sign for trucks is about to fall. The stop sign is there for an important reason, especially because this is a busy road with many vehicles using it throughout the day. One mistake at this intersection can have serious consequences. Drivers need to know when to stop and without a proper stop sign, there is a greater risk of confusion between motorists. We are worried that if nothing is done, there could eventually be a major accident at this intersection. We do not want to wait for someone to get seriously hurt before the Council takes action. Residents should not have to keep reporting the same problem for months before getting assistance. We pay for Municipal services and we expect basic issues like damaged road signs to be attended to within a reasonable time. A stop sign on such a busy road should not remain down for more than five months. I also feel that residents in Erasmia are being overlooked, especially during this election period. From what I see, the Councillor appears to be focusing more on Laudium, while Erasmia residents are still dealing with several service delivery problems. We also have concerns about crime in our area and the overall standard of Council services has gone down. I often see campaign posts on Cllr Patel’s social media platforms and I understand that this is an election period, but I believe the same energy should also be placed into addressing the problems that residents are raising. We do not only need campaign messages; we need action on the ground. If service delivery was taken as seriously as campaigning, I believe residents of Erasmia would be much happier. I am speaking as a resident and trying to remain neutral, but looking at the situation in our area, I am not satisfied with the overall performance of the current ANC Councillor. Residents deserve better services, proper attention and quicker responses when they report problems. I hope that before the election, the fallen stop sign will finally be overlooked, especially during this election period. From what I see, the Councillor appears to be focusing more on Laudium, while Erasmia residents are still dealing with several service delivery problems. We also have concerns about crime in our area and the overall standard of Council services has gone down. I often see campaign posts on Cllr Patel’s social media platforms and I understand that this is an election period, but I believe the same energy should also be placed into addressing the problems that residents are raising. We do not only need campaign messages; we need action on the ground. If service delivery was taken as seriously as campaigning, I believe residents of Erasmia would be much happier. I am speaking as a resident and trying to remain neutral, but looking at the situation in our area, I am not satisfied with the overall performance of the current ANC Even the street name sign, ‘Grey Street’, is bent and damaged repaired and that the Council will start taking the concerns of Erasmia residents more seriously. We should not have to use the media to get basic Municipal services attended to. We want a Councillor who will listen to residents, respond to their complaints and make sure that service delivery is a priority throughout the entire ward, not only in certain areas.”
Yadav Singh of Petrus Myburgh Street, Erasmia, told the Laudium Sun, “It is disappointing to see how long basic problems in our area remain unattended to. How can a fallen stop sign be ignored for months, while residents continue to use the road every day? These are basic issues that should receive attention from the Municipality. Our streetlights are another major concern. Some of them are not working properly and even when they are repaired and start working again, they often stop functioning after a short period. This leaves parts of our streets poorly lit at night and makes residents feel uncomfortable when travelling through the area after dark. We need our local Councillor, Naeem Patel, to focus on these matters affecting people every day instead of allowing these complaints to continue. I also feel that our Councillor is spending too much time in front of the cameras promoting Pakistani culture and activities in our community, while ordinary Municipal problems remain unresolved. There needs to be a better balance between public appearances and actual work on the ground. We want to see visible improvements in Erasmia.”
