LamDel residents call on MMC for Community Services for help
Following the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) meeting held recently, a number of service delivery issues were raised by the residents of Ward 39. As a result, MMC for Community Services, Clr Dora Mlambo called for an urgent public meeting.
MMC for Community Services, Clr Dora Mlambo, recently called for a public meeting to be held with the residents of Ward 39, in efforts to resolve a number of service delivery issues in the area.
The meeting was held at Afrikaanse Hoërskool Germiston, where Ward 39 councillor, Clr Alta de Beer, along with several heads of departments’ within the metro, were in attendance.
The majority of the complaints came from the residents who claimed to have been experiencing long power outages, which happen almost weekly.
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Other power-related issues included street lights being on during the day and off at night and over-building on properties, thus overloading the current electricity infrastructure.
Lornette Joseph, chairperson for the LamDel Residents Association, pointed out to the panel that the LamDel area covers a small section of Ward 35 in Delville, which had been without power two days per week, every week for a period of four months.
“These outages are unacceptable and if we aren’t getting a service we are paying for, perhaps council should look at paying back some money to the residents,” she said.
Johan Lourens, Elsburg CPF chairperson commented on the open substations.
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“The metro has paid a lot of money for the equipment and to fix the problems, but the substations continue to remain open,” he said.
“We know that it is impossible for the teams to carry keys to all the substations because they use contractors.
“I have asked, by way of our councillor Alta de Beer, that if the metro puts locks on the substations then we, the CPF, will keep the keys and when there is a problem we will gladly open the substation for the contractors.
“We would rather do this, than have no power for days on end because the substation was vandalised,” said Lourens.
While the power issues took up a majority of the meeting, other service delivery issues such as the vandalising of the Elsburg Hall, low water supply, issues with the state of the parks, waste removal and the EMPD enforcing by-laws were other areas of contention.
Residents wanted to know the process to follow when neighbours are found dumping illegally on pavements, as well as how to get a replacement bin if yours has been stolen or damaged.
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Jakkie Janse van Vuuren, part of LamDel communications, brought up the issue of the elderly in the area who do not have the means to fetch new bins, and it was stated by the waste department that they would assist the elderly with dropping off new bins provided the elderly had the correct paperwork.
Another issue directed to the waste department, was the concern of late bin collection.
Although residents said they understood that waste removal times were stated as 7am to 7pm, taking their bins into their properties at 8pm was dangerous.
The MMC and waste department took the safety concerns into consideration and stated that they would ensure that bins are collected by 6pm.
Later, as the meeting progressed, Mlambo decided that due to an influx of outstanding issues not tabled, they would have to schedule another meeting, inclusive of other council members and the community.
“This meeting has been a long time coming, and we are grateful to the MMC, our ward councillor, the members of council and EMPD who made this meeting possible,” said Joseph.
“Thank you to Afrikaanse Hoërskool Germiston for allowing us the use of their venue on a Saturday and to all the residents who came out.”
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