Tsutsumani residents fume over no-show councillor
Frustrated residents demand answers from councillor Tefo Raphadu's failure to honour title deeds meeting he called at Skeen Primary School.
Tsutsumani residents have expressed frustration and disappointment over Ward 105 councillor Tefo Raphadu after he failed to pitch for a meeting he had called to provide feedback on the progress of the title deeds issue.
The meeting was crucial to the residents who expected feedback from Raphadu. The residents waited for him for two hours without hearing a word from the councillor.
The issuing of title deeds is a hot potato in Tsutsumani as residents have been fighting for them since 2010.
Resident Karel Monyepao said, “Raphadu is the one who called this meeting to give us an update on the progress of the title deeds process. Today, he doesn’t show up and what is frustrating is that he did not even communicate his reason for not attending the meeting.
“We are disappointed about what Raphadu did and want him to come and address us so that we will know if there is any progress on this issue. As our ward councillor, it is his responsibility to keep us informed and updated on our grievances, not to leave us in the dark as he did.”
Another resident Phillemon Bapela said, “We are very disappointed in our councillor’s actions. He called the meeting and we had to change our plans and leave important things that we were busy with at home, the next thing he didn’t show up.
“He did not even send an apology, stating that he wouldn’t be able to attend the meeting and as residents, we won’t tolerate that. We want our councillor to take us seriously and start working with us to resolve this issue of title deeds.”
In his response, Raphadu said, “I was unable to attend the meeting due to power cuts in my area. Unfortunately, my phone battery died and I had no power at home, which made it impossible for me to communicate with the residents about the postponement of the meeting.”
He added he was not sure of the date of the next meeting but he would communicate with the residents once the date had been scheduled.
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