They are a link between council and residents, and to maintain their credibility they have to be truthful to both parties to ensure a free flow of resources to support development programmes in their areas.
This was said exclusively to this paper by councillor Monde Mbingeleli of Ward 116. He said Alexandra’s challenges were complex, historical and were resolvable if the community and council developed a mutual bond. “This bond is commitment to law and order,” he said. “Council should apply the law without fear or favour, and residents should reciprocate by alerting the authorities of bylaw infringements. Without co-operation, Alex will decay and descend into anarchy.”
Mbingeleli said lack of co-operation resulted from transient job seekers who were not interested in making Alex a better place, and residents who exploited the jobless’ desperation for shelter by renting makeshift structures which endangered lives. “The structures contravene building regulations and put immense pressure on the sewer, water and road systems designed for few people and also, through illegal electricity connections which often caused shack fires. This electricity theft denies council huge revenue which could be used to improve the area,” he said.
He added that residents claimed rent received by housing tenants in illegal structures was their only source of income, but conveniently forgot that public services such as electricity were not free commodities.” Mbingeleli said city council had engaged a company to demolish the illegal structures and hoped residents would not misconstrue this corrective measure to be a punitive act.
Also, he cited the damage done to roads by residents on weekends when holding functions and funerals. “They dig the tar to secure tents and over time, the holes become potholes which they [residents] later complain about, while they caused them.”
He further blamed carwash businesses for using illegally connected water which damaged roads and drainage infrastructure through the constant flow of water and erosive detergents. Other criticism was directed at street hawkers who he said complained of police raids, but often flouted health standards and traded in undesignated places.
Mbingeleli said the authorities were also to blame. “They are a slow bureaucracy which acts indecisively when applying bylaws. Often Metro police, social development and health all complain of limited personnel and transport. This situation must change to give law abiding residents confidence and courage to report law infringements to them,” he concluded.
