It is clear to many residents in Ward 61, that the ANC- led Tshwane Council is failing dismally in efficient service delivery, despite continuous attempts by ANC Cllr Naeem Patel to paint a good picture of his politica ‘master,’ the ANC.
This follows yet more complaints against the Tshwane Council and Cllr Patel, concerning poor service delivery in the area, received by the Laudium Sun, this week.
This time, residents from Coert Street in Erasmia said that they have been pleading with the Tshwane Council and Cllr Patel since last year, to fix an open manhole sewage drain. Residents say that the cover of the drain has been missing for about a year now and despite numerous complaints to both the Council and the Councillor, nothing has been done thus far. Besides the danger of someone injuring themselves due to the open hole, residents say that a terrible smell from the open drain has made it extremely difficult for them to live and sleep peacefully in the area.
Farida Gani, a resident of Coert Street, in Erasmia, told the Laudium Sun, “This is really frustrating and I’m sick and tired of complaining about this issue to the Council. Nothing has been done so far. Every time we report the problem about the missing manhole cover, the Council comes up with the same excuses as usual. They say they don’t have a budget to replace the manhole cover, just one simple lead cover, yet we constantly hear about corruption and money being wasted in the Council. It really doesn’t make sense. This situation has been ongoing since last year and the smell from the open manhole sewage drain is disgusting. We are the ones who have to suffer every single day. The stench is unbearable, especially during hot days and we can’t even sit outside or open our windows. The whole area smells like sewage and it’s embarrassing when visitors come to our homes. It’s not just about the smell, it’s also dangerous for pedestrians, especially at night when visibility is low. Someone could easily fall into the open manhole and get badly hurt. I even took the initiative myself to try and cover the manhole using dry leaves and branches just to reduce the smell a bit and make it slightly safer for people walking past. But that’s not a permanent solution, it’s just a temporary fix. It’s really disappointing that as residents, we have to take matters into our own hands because the Council fails to do its job. We pay Rates & Taxes, yet we don’t receive proper service delivery. The Council is supposed to look after the infrastructure and basic hygiene of our community, but this issue has been ignored for far too long. I’ve called, emailed and even visited the offices several times, but every time I get the same response; empty promises and no action. Cllr Patel’s office is also aware of the complaint, but they too have not assisted. The worst part is that this is not an isolated case. There are several similar issues across Erasmia and Laudium; broken drains, potholes and leaking water pipes all left unattended. This shows that the system of good governance is failing residents completely. We feel neglected and forgotten by those in charge. The service from the Council is honestly terrible. We never expected such poor delivery from them. If this continues here, it could become a serious health hazard. Many children play in the street and if someone falls into that open drain or gets infected by the sewage exposure, who will take responsibility? All we are asking for is a simple fix… replace the missing manhole cover and maintain the area properly. It’s not too much to expect clean, safe and livable conditions in our community. The Council and the Councillor need to act immediately before someone gets hurt or the problem becomes worse.”
Ebrahim Hassan of Coert Street told the Laudium Sun, “We have been complaining about service delivery issues for a long time, but it feels like no one wants to listen to us. Every time we raise concerns about broken drains, missing manhole covers and other problems in our community, we are met with empty promises or ignored completely. It’s very frustrating because we pay our Rates & Taxes, yet the services we receive are poor and inadequate. The politicians seem more interested in filling their own pockets than in fixing our area. Corruption and self-interest take priority over the safety and well-being of residents. It feels like our voices don’t matter anymore. Honestly, I think the Tshwane Council will only respond if there is a riot, protest or public demonstration. Otherwise, they continue to ignore the people who are struggling with these issues every day. This lack of action affects everyone here. It poses serious health risks, especially for children and the terrible smell makes living conditions unbearable. It is time that the Tshwane Council and Cllr Patel take responsibility and finally listen to the residents they are supposed to serve.”
frustrating because residents pay Rates & Taxes, yet receive poor and inadequate services.
Omar Mohideen of nearby Van Dyk Street, told the Laudium Sun, “The smell of the open drain on Coert Street is affecting us also. Service delivery from the Council and the Councillor is really not up to the mark. Many drain covers are still missing and on top of that, there are constant water leakages in our area. These problems have been ongoing for months and despite repeated complaints, nothing has been done to fix them. The streets become unsafe, especially for children and pedestrians and the water leaks make the area messy and unhygienic. Residents are frustrated and feel ignored, but it seems that the Council doesn’t care about our basic needs and safety.”
