Poor service delivery and corruption seems to be the trade mark of the ANC-led Tshwane Council, with residents frustrated as they are expected to fork out more money for utilities and rates, despite poor service delivery and a large portion of the Council’s income being spent on corrupt transactions.
Once more residents in the Laudium/Erasmia area have complained to the Laudium Sun of being ignored by the office of the local Ward Councillor, Naeem Patel and the local Municipality office, concerning poor service delivery.
This time residents from Erasmia say that they have been complaining for several months about an ongoing underground water leak, but that their complaints have been ignored, despite ANC politicians pledging to give water leak complaints a priority due to the ongoing water restrictions. Residents say that the water leak in the area of Van Leenhof and Genl Pienaar Circle, in Erasmia, opposite the Erasmia Community Hall, is getting worse and have once more appealed to Cllr Patel to assist in having the leak fixed.
Rashida Salim of Van Leenhof Street, told the Laudium Sun, “We have reported the water leakage issue which is situated not far from our house many times, as the place gets flooded when it rains and it blocks the entire street. It creates a lot of problems for motorists and also for pedestrians. I have raised this concern more than once because the situation keeps getting worse every time it rains. The water does not drain properly and instead gathers in one place, making it difficult to pass through the area safely. Vehicles struggle to move through the flooded section and I have seen pedestrians forced to walk around it or step into unsafe areas just to get by. The Council was supposed to fix the water leak a long time ago, but I am not sure why there is such a delay. It is very frustrating because this problem has been ongoing for several months without the Council giving it attention. The place becomes extremely messy whenever it rains. The standing water also creates an unpleasant environment and it feels like the situation is simply being ignored. Service delivery in this area is really poor. From street lights not working to ongoing water leakage issues, there are always problems that are not being addressed on time. It feels like the concerns of residents are not being taken seriously, even though these issues affect our daily lives. This water leak needs to be fixed as soon as possible, because day by day, this small area is becoming like a river due to the water being stuck there. With the rain continuing frequently these days, the problem is only getting worse. I urge the Council to come and fix the water leakage problem urgently, because it is no longer a small issue. It is affecting safety, movement and the overall condition of the area, besides the waste of precious water which is a scarcity in our country. Immediate action is needed before it leads to even bigger problems.”
Majda Fouria, also of Van Leenhof Street, told the Laudium Sun, “There are many challenges in this area, especially with street lights that are not functioning and now this ongoing water leakage near the Erasmia Community Hall. The situation is becoming very disruptive, as the surroundings turn muddy and untidy whenever there is rainfall. It makes daily movement difficult and unsafe and it is frustrating to deal with this continuously without any improvement. The condition of the road worsens with water spreading across the surface and it affects both visibility and accessibility during wet weather. This concern has been brought forward a long time ago, yet there has been no response or action taken to resolve it. It is disappointing to see that such an obvious problem is being overlooked while residents are left to deal with the inconvenience. The longer it remains unattended, the worse it becomes, especially during this season when rain occurs frequently. The water collects in the same spot and does not clear, making the area unpleasant and difficult to manage. There is also the added concern of safety, as poor lighting combined with wet and slippery conditions creates unnecessary risks. It feels like basic maintenance is not being prioritised, by the Tshwane Council, even though these issues have a direct impact on everyday life. Immediate attention is needed to fix this water leak, notwithstanding that water is a scarce commodity and all this waste is really not acceptable.”
