Ward 95 ANC councillor Rodgers Makhubela believes Diepsloot is the best township in Johannesburg.
The 41-year-old father of three is convinced that the government was doing everything it can to keep Diepsloot going. “Tell me any government service that is not available in Diepsloot which is supposed to be provided by the government. We have one of the best police stations in the country, schools, clinics, community halls and a shopping mall. Recently the mayor opened a modern human bridge plus a huge road upgrade of K46 is underway. So what negligence are people talking about?” asked the councillor.
Turning to the ever flowing and broken sewerage pipes, Makhubele said the township’s infrastructure was failing to cope with the expanding population of Diepsloot. “Sewer pipes burst due to high volumes of people coming to Diepsloot from everywhere including Mozambique, Zimbabwe and rural areas. We can’t chase them. People flock to Diepsloot because accommodation is affordable and they are seeing a light at the end of the tunnel,” said the Diepsloot Ext 1 resident.
Makhubele moved into the 21-year-old settlement in 1998 from Limpopo. He has been an ANC activist since his school days at Khatisa High School in Limpopo. “I was an SRC president at Khatisa High School and also served in the ANCYL structures back home before coming to Johannesburg,” said Makhubele.
He said his party deployed him to serve in the City of Johannesburg after realising his commitment to uplift the Diepsloot community. “Our party looks at leadership qualities, the ideological understanding of the ANC and the spirit of volunteerism,” said Makhubela.
Makhubele said he would be bouncing back as the Ward 95 councillor after the municiple elections on 3 August, and dismissed both the DA and EFF as non-starters. “DA or EFF will not take any ward in Diepsloot from the ANC,” said the confident Makhubela.
“DA has been claiming popularity in the township but have been failing. ANC is a giant and we work through the book. We are not an issue-based organisation.”
