Being a councillor is mostly a thankless and, contrary to popular belief low paying, a very demanding position. It is a life of service, dedicated to the people of Ekurhuleni.
As most people know I am no stranger to service having been a fire fighter here in Ekurhuleni and as such have a certain passion for it. That being said the frustrations surrounding the systems and policies, and most certainly a lot of the people working for and with council, certainly make for a tough time. As the saying goes, ‘when the going gets tough, the tough get going’ and I am not one to take the easy road.
Every now and then I get a reminder of why I am doing this, a pick-me-up if you will. This week that came in the form of a report back in my oversight portfolio. I naturally sit on the community safety oversight, which comprises of Ekurhuleni Metro Police, Disaster Management and Emergency Services.
It is at this level that I have fought hard for an increase in service delivery because the safety and well-being of our citizens is (or should be) our first priority. I have delivered speeches in council to this effect especially around our ailing ambulance fleet.
Well I am happy, no thrilled, to say that hard work does pay off and sometimes one voice can make a difference because I have been heard. Ekurhuleni has purchased 48 new ambulances and will hire a number of new paramedics and firefighters to beef up our service.
I cannot stress how fantastic this is, this brings in a new era of lifesaving abilities. A chance to serve our communities when they need it the most, when they are the most vulnerable and when time is the difference between life and death.
So I will pat myself on the back as I stand back to allow the political wrangling over, who’s idea this really was, to take place because for me it is about the community getting what they need and that’s what it is all about.
