TCLM faces complaints from Harmony Hill

A lack of service delivery, water shortages, exposed electricity wires resulting from illegal connections, electricity interruptions and alleged corruption have been plaguing the community.

Thandiwe Mabuza, a resident, said they are losing hope in the municipality. “There are so many things that are not going well in this area and we are not happy at all.

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The municipality needs start doing something because we pay for services, yet we get nothing in return. The amount we pay for water is too high, and I suspect that I am also paying my neighbour’s account.

We hardly have running water and there is an issue with the electricity supply,” she told Lowvelder.  One of her greatest concerns is the gravel roads in parts of Harmony Hill. Another is the corruption in allocating jobs.

“I know of disabled people who struggle a lot while using that road, especially if it rains. The mud makes it almost impossible for them to get to where they are going.

Peter Mhlongo, a disabled man living in Harmony Hill, fell several times while trying to go to a local store. “When it rains my life becomes so difficult when I need to get to the store.

Sometimes I slip, then fall. I feel the municipality needs to do something about this situation,” he said. Mabuza added that young people are left unemployed and it might increase the crime rate in the area.

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“We only hear about the job opportunities when they have already been allocated. We have visited the municipality’s offices, but nothing has changed,” she said.

The community also raised concerns about illegal connections. “There are kids who play next to those cables and anything can happen at any time.

The cables are exposed and in the middle of the road. Sometimes we see sparks and it is very scary.

We do not understand why the municipality does not do something about this; if they supply people with electricity they will stop making illegal connections,” she explained.

Themba Sibiya, communications officer at TCLM, said the municipality is aware of these connections in the illegal settlement opposite Harmony Hill.

“Several attempts were made to remove them but the community acts aggressively towards officials. One of our electricians was viciously attacked trying to remove the cables and sustained serious injuries,” he explained.

“There’s a project under way for refurbishment of Harmony Hill’s streets, as stipulated in the IDP. It will only be implemented in the next financial year due to budgetary constraints.

“We encourage and urge our communities to report any service delivery matters affecting them, so the municipality can effectively respond,” said Sibiya.