The time for residents to elect their Councillors and political parties who will be in control of the Tshwane Council for the next 5 years, is almost here…
Since the advent of democracy some 30 years back, the ANC was, for most of the years, in control of the Tshwane
Municipality, with residents having to beg, plead and even ‘suck up’ to Councillors, just to invoke their constitutional rights to receive proper service delivery at Municipal level, including the right to have clean streets without potholes, working streetlights, unblocked drains, working robots and upright traffic signs, clean pavements, peaceful neighbourhoods, etc.
However under the ANC-led Tshwane Council, the past years have been a nightmare to say the least. Residents had to endure water and electricity cuts, fallen street signs, noisy neighbours, the influx of squatters, businesses trading in residential areas, long grass on pavements, in parks and even at the local cemetery. Not forgetting the library not having lights for months and the public swimming pool not functioning during many of the peak times. The list of failed service delivery goes on and on, with promises made during elections by the ANC top brass not being kept and forgotten soon after the elections. However, residents have not forgotten the promises made by ANC leaders, many of whom are accused of corruption and awarding tenders to their comrades who pocketed monies without even making any deliveries. There were horror revelations brought out in the Madlanga Commission of the ANC-led Ekhuruleni Municipality in the East Rand with the ANC-led Gauteng Government supposedly overseeing the various Councils under the watch of ANC Premier Panyaza Lesufi. However, even many of the
promises made by Panyaza to the Laudium community have to this date not materialised. Laudium residents are still waiting for the CCTV cameras in the Laudium CBD, the panic buttons for each household, a new police station and the removal of illegal squatters living around Laudium and Erasmia. Not forgetting the ever non-functioning traffic and street lights on the R55, with many of the traffic lights carelessly removed and replaced with stop signs causing huge traffic congestion especially during peak hours. The list of failures by the ANC-led Tshwane Council goes on and on, with residents now tasked to vote wisely on November 4, as to who should lead the Tshwane Council during the next 5 years. With the deadline looming for Ward and PR Candidates to register by tomorrow (Friday August 28), the next two months will see a sudden speed of service delivery by the Tshwane Council and a flood of senior politicians visiting the areas.
Politicians will now again be making various promises to residents in order to get their votes, but as per the past, after the elections are over, the promises will be forgotten. Residents are once more urged to vote with the head and not with emotions as this could be another 5 years of hell, should the wrong leaders be chosen.
The ANC has already brought in acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia to address potential voters, while ActionSA Tshwane Mayor, Nasiphi Moya, addressed a women’s group recently.
Political parties who are to contest Ward and PR elections in Ward 61 are, thus far; ANC, ActionSA, DA and VF+.The final list will be released by the IEC after tomorrow’s deadline date.
owner, Prajay Ramjee plans to stand on behalf
of ActionSA as Ward 61 candidate.