WATCH: Metro keeps Brakpan waiting
The community of Brakpan was excited to welcome the Ekurhuleni Mayoral Siyaqhuba visit on March 3, last year, with huge expectations to see municipal issues within Brakpan getting resolved.
On the day, the visit went ahead as planned but mayor Clr Mzwandile Masina was not in attendance.
A year later and not one of the matters raised on that day have been dealt with or resolved.
Some of the issues include Plastic City, the Location Road squatters, the hyacinth-infested Brakpan Dam and the shocking state of the Brakpan CBD.
“The Mayoral Siyaqhuba Campaign is a true political roadshow and nothing more,” said DA councillor for Ward 97 in Brakpan, Brandon Pretorius.
“Service delivery is deliberately stalled because of cheap PR stunts.”
Pretorius told the Herald that he was informed that the Mayoral Siyaqhuba Campaign would once again be visiting the town of Brakpan.
Also read: Ou wandellaan is vuil en stink
“Upon perusing the proposed sites to be visited, I objected and asked that we should rather visit the sites that were initially visited during the 2017 visit as none of the issues had been resolved,” he said.
Pretorius received the following response: “Siyaqhuba changed its focus, i.e. we have to engage with departments on places to be visited and in turn, they have to confirm whether there is a budget allocated for places and service delivery issues identified. “This time around work is done on the spot on the day of the visit.”
He questioned why residents should wait for the presence of the mayor before basic service delivery takes place.
The visit was scheduled for last month, but is yet to take place.
“There have been so many issues that could have been prevented if the Mayoral Siyaqhuba Campaign actually did what it sought to do – deliver basic services to the people of Ekurhuleni,” said Pretorius.
“An example is what transpired last month when the main roof covering the stalls (kiosks) in the old Brakpan mall collapsed and two individuals were seriously injured.
“The City of Ekurhuleni responded a week after the structure collapsed.
“This incident could have been prevented as the demolishing of the stalls was postponed because of the mayor’s unavailability.
“Why must the mayor be present for basic services to be delivered, because mayor Masina wants to pose for a picture for the media at the expense of the residents of Ekurhuleni?
“This just proves that the Siyaqhuba Campaign is nothing but a cheap PR exercise.”
Also read: Councillor bemoans lack of service delivery in the CBD
The municipality started demolishing the stalls and removing the collapsed roof last week.
The toilet facility near the parking lot was also razed.
“Even though I welcome the demolishing, it does not come without sadness,” said Pretorius.
“As many other residents, I also share memories of the once thriving and economically beneficial ‘Wandellaan’.
“Unfortunately maintenance is a word that is not in the municipality’s vocabulary and will be the downfall of more of our town’s memorable buildings.”
Pretorius believes it is time the mayor notes the community of Brakpan.
“We are tired of empty promises,” he said.
“Roadshows are simply not enough; residents cannot only receive basic service delivery once a year.”
The councillor added that he will continue to apply the necessary pressure to ensure Masina visits the community of Brakpan to note the lack of pride in the workmanship of the different departments and ensure that the department heads are brought to book and held to account.
Also read: Sewage problem makes councillor’s blood boil
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