A councillor has urged other leaders and residents to be truthful when engaging on matters of local development.
Councillor Deborah Franscisco of ward 108, said this when outlining challenges in her ward. The ward includes factories in Marlboro and sections of Alex from 2nd to 12th avenues.
Franscisco said many problems resulted from people not speaking truthfully, especially on sensitive matters which are detrimental to development and peace in the area. “Our problems result from people abusing rights in the name of democracy while they cared less about their responsibilities. This justifies the calls made for the review of democracy, if this will assist to create an environment conducive for development and peace,” she stressed.
Challenges in her ward include rodent infestation, which she attributed to residents dumping anywhere at will, but blamed authorities for the filth. “They know Pikitup’s refuse collection days, but still do not take out their rubbish on time. This results in rat infestation and attacks on their children, which they also blame on council and councillors.” She said the fumigation and the owls project for rodents control were a futile exercise if residents didn’t take responsibility for their own health and hygiene.
Another challenge is the illegal electricity connections which Franscisco contributed to overloading of the grid, resulting in power outages and sometimes shacks fires. “This results from shack dwellers not receiving their free allocations of electricity as their structures are illegal and dangerous to connect.” They steal the power disregarding the danger they pose to others.”
Also, she lamented the construction of shacks in tributaries, on road servitudes and on top of electricity and water mains making it difficult for maintenance teams to work. She said the demand for housing should not be an excuse for disorganised settlements. “This problem is also exploited by others who sell council bond houses, and their victims later blame council when the houses are repossessed by the department of housing.”
Franscisco added some of the shacks were dens for criminals who disappeared when wanted by authorities as their backgrounds were unknown. She said the shacks were also lucrative business areas for absentee landlords who knew council couldn’t demolish them without offering tenants alternative accommodation. “This becomes a weakness of council in bylaw enforcement.”
Franscisco said, the public disregards water conservation and residents leave taps running knowing they were not accountable for the payments.
