Residents fending for themselves

THULAMAHASHE – This township used to be the heart of Bushbuckridge, but according to residents, its beauty has gone to ruins. Residents claim to have been neglected by their councillors, whom they say are allegedly only interested in enriching themselves, and not in ensuring the delivering of proper services or the development of the area.

Streets and facilities are not well maintained and this has caused residents to embark on violent protests, vandalising property and halting business at the shopping complex. They say the complex is also too small for the township and surrounding villages.
The disgruntled community members stated that they were doing a lot to ensure that the township didn’t lose its value. Some built proper houses for themselves while others renovated theirs, but they were concerned that the lack of development in the area depreciated the value of their properties.
“We used to take pride in being residents of one of the most-developed places when we were still in the Gazankulu homeland, but since the introduction of ward councillors, we are forever frustrated,” said Mr Enos Mkhonto, who has been living in the area since the early ’70s.

Mkhonto added that since the ruling party came into power, it was one problem after the other. They also claimed that councillors only developed the areas where they themselves lived and when they complained, they were given the silent treatment.
“The only place where you will hear an ANC representative address the community is during funerals when he/she is asked to say words of comfort to the family. Instead of giving comfort they promise mourners they are busy with delivering proper services and ask them to continue supporting the ANC,” said another resident, Ms Thoko Mkasi.
Mpumalanga News asked the Bushbuckridge Residents Association’s (BRA) candidates for the upcoming elections, for comment about the protest and what they would do differently should they win the elections, and this is what the party’s secretary, Mr Cleopus Maonya had to say,
“The problem in Thulamahashe is that there is no proper leadership in government. When the people were on strike, no one bothered to address them until we decided to intervene and calm them down.”
He stated that instead of hearing the protestors out, the leadership incited war by sending ANC members from Marite to beat up the protestors, which resulted in violence and anger, leading to the vandilising of property.
“We do not encourage violence, but in this incident, residents were provoked because even after a peaceful march they had held before, no one was interested in addressing them,” he added.
Maonya explained that BRA was an association for the community which addressed service delivery in the whole of Bushbuckridge.
“The whole area has service-delivery issues, hence these recent protests and we say the community must stand up for themselves and not wait for the councillors.

Residents need to wake up and realise that they do not owe the ANC their votes, the ruling party is up there and they are down here. It’s time they started thinking for themselves and vote for a party that will represent them properly.”