It seems that the ANC-led Tshwane Council will only consider listening seriously to complaints about poor service delivery from residents living in the area of Laudium and Erasmia, when the local Municipal election nears, which is expected to be at the end of this year.
Whether the complaints will then actually be attended to and resolved or would again be mere promises upon promises being made, as during in past elections, is yet to be seen. Until then, for now, many complaints’ of local residents seem to have been ignored for months or even years, by the Council and the local Ward Councillor.
One of the ongoing complaints of poor service delivery which has been ignored for years now, comes from residents of Pearl Street, Laudium, who told the Laudium Sun that they have been complaining to both Cllr Patel and the office of the Council concerning a blocked street rain water drain, which has resulted in pools of water clogging in front of their homes during normal rains. Residents say that during severe rains as experienced this week even bigger pools of water are formed, making access in and out of their homes almost impossible and posing a danger to people in vehicles, as many vehicles have skidded when passing the pool of water. The residents added that despite repeated complaints to both the Council and the Councillor’s office, the problem remains unresolved, with rain water accumulating and blocking their driveways.
Ketan Parmar, a concerned resident of Pearl Street, told the Laudium Sun, “This is really frustrating, as whenever it rains, the water keeps accumulating and blocking the driveway in front of my house. This has been an ongoing issue for a long time, and despite reporting it to the Council on numerous occasions, nothing has been done to resolve the problem. We were told that the blocked drains would be opened and maintained properly, but up until now, no one has come to address the situation. The rain water collects in one spot and stays there for days, making it extremely difficult for us to move our vehicles in and out of our property. It is not only an inconvenience but also a safety concern for both residents and pedestrians. When cars drive past, they often skid as they pass the pool of water, which is a danger for oncoming cars, nearby houses and the pedestrians passing by as anyone could be knocked. Also the cars splash water when driving over the water, wetting pedestrians who get splashed with the water. This creates an unpleasant and uncomfortable environment for everyone living in the area. Over time, it has now started to feel like there is a small lake forming right in front of our house whenever it rains. This is simply unacceptable, especially considering that the issue has been reported multiple times to the Council without any proper response or action from the authorities. Residents should not have to deal with such poor service delivery, especially when it affects daily lives and basic accessibility to people’s homes. The lack of action from the council is disappointing, as this problem could easily have been resolved if the drainage system was properly cleaned and maintained. It is important that the council takes responsibility and addresses the matter urgently before it worsens further. We are only asking for a simple and necessary basic service to ensure that our street remains safe and accessible for everyone. This situation cannot continue any longer and it needs immediate attention to prevent further inconvenience and potential hazards for residents and visitors alike.”
Abdul Zafar, also of Pearl Street, told the Laudium Sun, “This is not a one-day problem for us, as the rain water remains standing in front of my house for long periods without drying up easily or flowing away. It has become a constant problem that we have been dealing with and up to now, no one from the Council has come to sort out the issue. The problem has been ongoing for years now and it feels like it is being completely ignored by the Council. The stagnant water is not hygienic at all, as it starts to produce an unpleasant smell after some time. This creates an unhealthy environment for everyone living nearby. It also attracts insects such as mosquitos, which adds to the discomfort and raises concerns about health risks for families, especially children and elderly residents. Living in such conditions is not acceptable, as it affects the overall quality of life in the area. The rain water simply accumulates in one place and does not drain away, which clearly shows that there is a problem with the drainage system. This issue needs proper attention and cannot be left unresolved any longer. It is important for the Council to clean the street drains, so that the rain water can flow into the drains, without forming pools of water. Temporary solutions will not help, as the problem will then just continue whenever there is rainfall.”
