Ekurhuleni to fight sewage, potholes and illegal connections

ALBERTON – Interacting with the local community and those transported with buses to the hall was MMC Siboza, Cllr Zide, Cllr Malema, Cllr Siboza, Cllr Maria Visser, Cllr Bruna Haipel, Cllr Michael Basch and members of the mayoral executives.

Among some of the highlighted challenges faced by the city, sewage, potholes, and illegal connections were seen as problems which affected almost everyone.

MMC Siboza said the municipality is aware of the constant power outages, sewage blockages, potholes, illegal connections and the problem of residents building without approved plans.

He also passed his condolences on to the families of those affected by the building that collapsed in Alberton on Monday August 18.

MMC made it clear that the city knows about the illegal businesses in the townships, where vulnerable people are taken advantage of by businessmen who promise to pay them if they allow the building of businesses in their yards.

The moment that made the crowd cheer was MMC Siboza’s announcement that the council purchased a new 47 ambulance from its coffers, not from the budget allocated to deal with such matters.

“This is because the Ambulances work 24/7 and because of that, they get damaged,” MMC Siboza added.

The City has seen revenue loss due to illegal connections, where a power box designed to provide electricity for one home is illegally connected to several other houses. This is something the city it trying to educate residents about through their editorial content published in newspapers.

The city also aims to ascertain that contractors who work for the city stick to their turnaround time when problems are reported by residents.

Ms Tirhani Khoza, a school teacher who came to the imbizo with learners in uniform, said: “Our school, Greenfields Secondary School, is having a sewage problem. Water is leaking in the administration block and teachers cannot use that facility.”

Hendrik Groenewald, Chief Area Engineer in the Water Department, responded to Ms Khoza and said: “The problem is caused by people who have cattle and livestock. We unblock the drains, but they come and block it on a daily bases so that water can stop flowing for the grass grow and for their livestock to have water to drink.”

The councillors and MMC Siboza were accompanied by executives, who noted people’s challenges and questions and responded to them to show the city is willing to help.

The city is planning on having more of these meetings as they provide a way for the executives to report back to the people about progress made and solutions reached.