Action taken after intervention by Action for Accountability
Dangerous open manholes and incomplete water infrastructure maintenance compromise safety in Mondeor
The open manholes and incomplete water infrastructure in Mondeor is a danger to the community.
This was discussed by the newly established CivActs team of the Action for Accountability (A4A) on September 10.
The A4A is a project co-funded by the European Union and implemented by the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, Accountability Lab South Africa and the Public Service Accountability Monitor.
The project aims to support communities through better governance as South Africa struggles with an accountability crisis.
It has been months since residents are confronted with these problems, while responsible parties continue to shirk accountability.
Ward 54 Clr Stuart Marais recently made some effort to solve this issue by conducting a petition in the ward.
Mafanya from Meredale, a neighbouring community to Mondeor, was directly affected by the issue of abandoned water infrastructure maintenance by Rand Water.
He had a big hole in front of his gate for weeks left by Rand Water. Cars could not drive in or out of the yard and Rand Water did not avail.
“I was frustrated with Rand Water because when they were doing the maintenance in front of my gate they promised that they will return the next day to close the hole but they never came back.
“I kept calling their offices for weeks with no response and if any, they would make empty promises up until recently when I contacted A4A team for help. Four days later, Rand Water closed the hole in front of my gate,” he said.
These are issues that warrant community-mobilised actions so that those responsible must account to the public and perform their duties effectively and with some sense of urgency. Manholes and maintenance diggings are done in front of people’s gates and yards while others cause long and unnecessary traffic jams.
The CivActs team calls upon Johannesburg Water and Rand Water to do their job and clean up the mess they left around their community. The team will go around the ward to profile all the areas affected by this issue and will apply pressure to get responsible parties to account.
With these actions, the team hopes to see some work done in the coming weeks towards fixing their roads and water infrastructure.
The A4A project invites the residents of Ward 54 to join this campaign and call for quick action.
Send pictures of these open manholes via WhatsApp to Dimpho Mputhi on 074 558 9594 or Percy Elekanyani on 060 680 5559.
If you want to get involved in the project contact Dawood Raphalalane, the Ward 54 community facilitator on 067 6269 520, WhatsApp 065 567 9383 or email: dawood@kathradafoundation.org
• Article supplied by David Raphalalane and Shaazia Ebrahim
