As part of its role to inform our readers, the NEWS/GCN/Express 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?
Independent Ratepayers Association of SA’s (Irasa) candidates responded as follows:
Wards 23 and 92 (including Wards 24, 27, 28, 31, 32, 33, 43 and 34) Ashley Rutherford:
“As an independent councillor standing under Irasa, I will be able to devote 100% of my time to residents and service delivery, honestly earning the salary, which is paid by the ratepayers, via the City of Ekurhuleni.
“We have been fed the same old story for the last 10 years and we can no longer stand idly by while our once beautiful towns fall further into decay and ruin.
“It is time to get the politicians out of our towns and bring back councillors who want to make a difference.
“Residents want service delivery; they don’t need excuses. Some wonderful officials go out of their way to help the residents, as can be seen by the feedback from the officials on the Boksburg Service Delivery group on Facebook.
“In a municipal election, vote for the person who will make a difference in your lives, a person who will put their residents first – the rest will follow.”
ALSO READ: #IMadeMyMark: Voters want to hear from candidates
Wards 17, 18, 19, 20 Christie Mann:
“We desperately need a shift from oppositional politics, which impacts service delivery.
“If ratepayers were better educated about how local government actually works for them and not for a party, there would be more independent and smaller parties running our municipality as a stable coalition. There would also be fewer petitions and talk and more action. And better service delivery.
“I don’t agree with the ethos that councillors have to put their party first and have to vote along party lines.
“Elected councillors are servants of the people first and anything they do or say or fight for should be for the benefit of all the residents in their wards.
“If there is a will, there is always a way. Residents want service delivery, they do not need excuses for another term. I can’t fix everything overnight, but I can promise I am completely dedicated to a better municipality for all residents and I will do whatever I can to make that happen.
“As an independent councillor standing under the Irasa banner, my vote is for what is most beneficial for the community.
“We have one of the best municipalities in South Africa and I want to help make it even better.”
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