The question of just how much more should residents tolerate poor service delivery from the ANC led Tshwane Council and or the ANC Ward Councillor, keeps on coming up, with residents this week again asking this question.
Residents have once more stressed that they find comments made by Cllr Patel and his sidekick, Ldm CPF Chair, Shaheen Wahab recently, indicating that it is not only Laudium (Ward 61) that is affected by poor service delivery and that nevertheless, residents of Laudium are much better off today than about 30 years back, during the apartheid era, in poor taste.
A number of residents have been infuriated by these comments on social media, with one resident, Rakesh Bhima, saying, “Clearly this pair of clowns just cannot understand that the majority of the residents in the area, voted for the ANC and Patel and not for those from the Botha era, because they wanted the ‘better life’ as per the ANC’s slogan and election manifesto. Instead, what the residents got after 30 years of the ANC being in power, is rampant corruption, failing Municipal services, failing government departments, failing law & order with even freedom of movement being curtailed due to fear of crime, failing education and health services, etc.” Coming back to poor service delivery at a local level, once more complaints of a blocked manhole drain have emerged. This time, a number of residents from 17th Ave in Laudium, complained to the Laudium Sun, about the blocked drain which they say has been blocked for a few days, despite complaining to the Council, adding that they even tried calling Cllr Patel to complain, but without any joy. Residents have complained of the stinky and filthy sewage water flowing onto the streets, which they say is a health hazard to all walking or living in the area, especially young children.
Gerome Verasamy, a concerned resident from 17th Ave, Laudium, told the Laudium Sun, this past Tuesday, “The manhole drain near our home on 17th Ave has been leaking for a few days now and the Council does not seem to be interested in fixing the leak. My family and I are being heavily affected by the malodour from the drain. The leakage has resulted in foul-smelling wastewater and faeces flowing onto the public street and pavements, creating not only an unpleasant environment but also a significant health hazard—especially for children, the elderly, and residents with respiratory issues. The stagnant wastewater has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes and flies, increasing the risk of vector-borne diseases such as dengue and malaria. Furthermore, the slippery surfaces created by the spillage pose a serious safety risk to pedestrians and motorists alike, especially during this rainy weather when visibility and road grip are already compromised.”
The clearly frustrated Gerome added, “Repeated complaints to the Council office have yet to result in any visible action, leaving myself and other residents frustrated and concerned about the slow response on this health hazard situation. This issue requires urgent intervention from the local Municipality especially from their relevant Water and Sanitation Department, to identify and repair the source of the leak and clean and sanitize the affected area. They must also implement a long-term maintenance plan to prevent such future occurrences. On behalf of myself and others affected by the leakage we urge Councillor Patel to treat this matter with the seriousness it deserves, to protect public health and restore safety and dignity to our neighbourhood.”
Another 17th Avenue resident, Ismail Ahmed, told the Laudium Sun, “This drain leak situation is both frustrating and unacceptable. Almost every week, we read in the Laudium Sun about the lack of service delivery from Councillor Patel and the Council. This is not how things should be. If the Councillor cannot effectively attend to the Municipal problems in his Ward, then he should resign and let to do it properly. Our community deserves better.
Yet another resident of 17th Avenue, Shabir Ahmed, said, “The manhole drain on 17th Avenue urgently needs attention from Councillor Naeem Patel. It requires immediate intervention. We cannot continue living in a place that smells disgusting—a place that once was beautiful. But now, due to dirty politics and poor service delivery, Laudium is becoming what I must sadly describe as, a ‘no go area’ in Gauteng.”