As more and more complaints continue to pour in concerning poor service delivery from out the ANC-led Tshwane Council, local ANC Ward Councillor, Naeem Patel, seems to be more interested in campaigning for himself so that he can be nominated by the ANC, with the hope of once more being elected as Councillor in the Laudium/Erasmia area, for the next 5 years.
This, despite numerous complaints from local residents, concerning complaints even about the poor response from Patel, with one of the latest being from residents of Pendant Street in Laudium, who are upset about a water pipe leakage that occurred around April 20, which has still not been repaired by the Council after about 8 weeks.
According to some residents, Council workers only came in the last week of May, dug up the place where the pipe was leaking, then cordoned it off with the red chevron and left it as is, to date.
Mustafa Sheikh, who stays next to the water leakage and the dug up area on Pendant Street, told the Laudium Sun, “This water leakage has been going on for about eight weeks and the Council has still not repaired it. Some Council people came the last week of May, put up red tape around it and did some digging, but they didn’t fix anything at all. This is really bad and dangerous, as now besides the water leak, there is a ditch right near the street. There is still water running on the street and the dug up area at the edge of the street can cause an accident for passing vehicles. A pedestrian passing by could also fall into it. I heard that my neighbour complained about it six weeks ago to Naeem Patel, but since then no one from the Council has come to fix it. It looks like no one is taking this matter seriously and the situation is just getting worse day by day. The water continues to flow and collect on the street, creating a hazard for everyone who uses this street. There are a lot of school children who pass here every morning and it is really dangerous for them also. They have to walk past the pool of water and the ditch, which means they have to step onto the street to avoid it, which puts them at risk of being hit by vehicles. Drivers also have to be extra careful, especially early in the morning when the street is very busy. The service delivery is so poor for residents of Laudium. Despite paying our Rates & Taxes, the Council is ignoring us and not providing the service delivery we are entitled to receive. We are not asking for anything extra, we just want basic services to be delivered. Fixing a water leak and closing a dug up trench should not take this long. It is frustrating for residents to see that nothing has been done even after numerous complaints were made. We cannot wait until an accident occurs for action to be taken.”
Council needs to act urgently on the water leak and open ditch, before something serious
happens.
Bindesh Desai, also of Pendant Street, told the Laudium Sun, “I cross this water leakage area each and every day and it is really getting scary. It is right on the main busy street and I am sure that the owner of the house outside which the water leakage started, has already complained to the Council, but we all know how clumsy the Ward Councillor and the Council people are. Every day when I pass, I can see the situation getting worse. What started as a simple water leak has now turned into something much bigger. The ground around the area has become weak and the trench that was dug up keeps expanding. It is no longer just about water flowing on the street, it has become a serious risk for anyone who uses this street. When it is election time, these very same politicians will come running for votes, making promises and assuring residents that service delivery will improve. But then, after elections they will not care to deliver. The dug up hole has now become very big and it is dangerous for both pedestrians and motorists. People driving on the street might not notice it in time, especially at night or during busy hours, which can easily lead to accidents. For those walking, it is just as risky because one wrong step can result in someone getting injured. What makes it worse is that this is not a quiet street. There is constant movement of vehicles and people throughout the day. Children, elderly residents and workers all use this street and everyone is exposed to the same danger. It is stressful to think that something serious can happen at any moment because the problem has been ignored for so long. A simple repair at the beginning would have stopped the damage from spreading. Now, it is not just a leakage anymore, but a hazard that affects the entire community.”
around the area of the leak has become weak
and the hole keeps on expanding.
Pendant Street resident, Sumaya Patel, told the Laudium Sun, “This water leakage must be fixed as soon as possible because it is dangerous for everyone who lives here. We cannot continue like this, walking and driving around an expanding hole going into the street. The Council and our Ward Councillor need to take responsibility and act immediately before the situation becomes worse. Residents are tired of the poor service delivery in our area. The situation is going from bad to worse. These are basic services that we, as residents, are entitled to receive and should receive.”