#IMadeMyMark: What Bedfordview and Edenvale DA candidates have to say

As part of its role to inform our readers, the NEWS publicly invited the ward candidates in the relevant wards to answer one question: Which service delivery problem in your ward (area), which hinders the rebuilding of the ward’s local economy, will you address first and how?

DA candidates responded as follows:
Ward 18 Heather Hart:

“Without a doubt, due to its negative impact on economic growth, basic service delivery, with a focus on maintaining and upgrading municipal infrastructure, has to be at the top of my list.

“Driving around Edenvale, it is hard to imagine wanting to invest where infrastructure is crumbling, stormwater drains are blocked, gutters and pavements are cluttered with debris and weeds and general neglect are obvious.

“Eastleigh and Sebenza light industrial areas attest to the damage done by neglect, incompetence and ever-decreasing service delivery standards. These areas remain the economic hubs of Edenvale.

“Exacerbated by onerous labour regulations and exorbitant energy costs many businesses have closed their doors. But Sebenza will survive and thrive thanks to the active Sebenza Business Forum (SBF), which operates upon the lines of a voluntary city improvement district (CID). I support SBF wholeheartedly to provide the necessary enabling environment to create sustainable jobs and economic opportunities.

“Sadly, with the development of Eastgate and more recently Greenstone, the only ‘comprehensive’ shopping centre in Edenvale is Karaglen Mall & Shopping Centre and thanks to its developer, Harry Karamichael, this investment augurs well for the future of Edenvale.

“The same could easily be done with the correctly managed CID operating in the Edenvale CBD, and that remains an opportunity I would welcome re-initiating.

“Another economic opportunity which has been badly managed by the current metro administration is that of informal recycling. Instead of living lives of dignity and respect, despite performing the important task of keeping tons of recyclables out of the waste stream, many of the informal recyclers create more problems than solutions.

“Instead they should be formalised, registered, trained and assisted to contribute meaningfully to the economy of Edenvale.”

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Ward 19 Bill Rundle:

“Edenvale, known as a heritage town in the City of Ekurhuleni (CoE), developed into an important centre consisting of residential areas, commercial business districts and trading centres, supported by a fledgling industrial manufacturing and engineering sector. The latter grew steadily to become a significant part of the town’s economic development.

“Edenvale is an important revenue-generating town for CoE.

“However, this status quo was disrupted with the flooding issues that started in 2004 from the Eastleigh Spruit and has plagued the town and Ward 19 ever since, especially the industrial area in Eastleigh.

“Many industrialists, investors and business entrepreneurs left the area and relocated elsewhere, resulting in not only a loss of revenue for CoE but affecting the commercial trading districts and CBD.

“I will drive initiatives to ensure the R300-million allocated in the five-year IDP is proportionally included in the annual budget to refurbish the spruit and fight to attract all the businesses that have left, back into Edenvale.

“Economic, commercial, business activities and job creation from this is a top priority. Increased revenue could then be applied to the maintenance budget of Edenvale to support the cleaning up and restoration of the ageing infrastructure. We need to get things done.”

Ward 20 Jill Humphreys:

“It is difficult to separate one item of ‘service delivery’, as the entire infrastructure is in a state of semi-collapse. This includes water and sanitation, energy, waste, roads and stormwater.

“Inspection service departments, such as city planning, legal and corporate, and environmental health, have minimal capacity to respond. Emergency services are equally under pressure.

“The finance department is trying to deal with the debacle of the 2021 – 2025 Property Valuation. This has hampered its already limited capacity to respond to ongoing issues of interim readings for meters, rebates and statements not received.

“We need to get things done and ensure service delivery, with the correct budget allocation. By getting the basics right, we can enable our local economy to grow and thrive.

“One of the special projects I will be focusing on if elected, is structured recycling to accommodate informal recyclers. Waste needs to be separated at landfill sites, this includes garden waste for composting and building rubble for crush. By formalising this sector, we can begin to uplift the green and circular economy of Ward 20.

This ward is a vital economic hub for the entire city. Therefore, if elected, I will pressure the city to ensure the basic services are delivered reliably and sustainably.”

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