When visiting a person’s home, it is best to take leave of your host with that same positive first impression still intact.
The ANC Waterberg Regional Conference occurred at Forever Resorts in Bela-Bela the past weekend.
The supporters and delegates that hovered around Chris Hani Street, close to the municipal building, were waiting in anticipation of who would be representing them in the foreseeable future.
Congratulations to Jack Maeko, Kgabo Mahoai, Rufus Mahoro, Aaron Mokgetle, and Gloria Seleka (Bela-Bela mayor) who were elected as the new ANC regional management.
After the past 28 years of ANC governance, I trust that under your new management the lives of people in our community will improve drastically.
I received quite a number of complaints from the public that delegates left the town covered in litter. The first impression was not favorable. The number of empty alcohol bottles was staggering and does not show any restraint.
I find it odd that, despite the number of police and traffic officials that kept the proceedings under surveillance, no incident was reported for public drinking.
On Monday morning I visited the area and found an elderly man with a mountain of empty beer bottles he had picked up in the area. He was busy crushing them to be re-cycled.
Contrary to the people who left the empty bottles on the side of the road, this man promised that he will make sure that all the glass is removed and recycled.
That gave me the impression that civil society, which is me and you, are in fact the unpaid subcontractors of the ruling party. We find ourselves forever cleaning up after them.
It is an embarrassing position, to say the least.
We will have to step in for those who are democratically elected if we want our town to have a favorable first and lasting impression from tourists. Bela-Bela must be coddled as a gem in the Waterberg region.
Although I have an excellent working relationship with local politicians, I sometimes have my doubts about their performance and the appropriate implementation of their work ethics in our town.
The newly elected mayor, Seleka, does give the impression that accountability and transparency might be returning in the next five years in local government.
Some councilors will support her, but in politics, there will be some falling by the wayside.
The physical condition of a town is often the true reflection of the capability of the local municipality. If the town is neglected, it means the municipality is not paying attention to service delivery.
A town littered with garbage gives the impression of a careless government.
To start and leave with a positive first impression, the ruling party must take ownership of their responsibilities, instead of trashing what they are supposed to govern over.
