Endumeni Residents Association calls for independent candidates ‘next time around’
"Money needs to be spent on upgrading infrastructure and not on the nice-to-have stuff like mayoral gatherings and events. "The infrastructure is very fragile, as witnessed by the huge power outages of the last week.
The Endumeni Residents Association (ERA) has expressed concern after not receiving a response to their queries from the municipality.
ERA chairperson FC Bester said they had made several queries, including an offer to deploy qualified personnel without charge to help the municipality repair a plethora of streetlights in Dundee and Glencoe.
Faulty streetlights have angered residents in recent months, with many blaming the rising crime level on the darkness at night.
“We did receive a response (published last month in the Courier) where the municipality asked the ERA and the community to report any vandalism and theft of streetlights and other municipal infrastructure,” Bester said.
“Of course, we will do that – reporting theft is the responsibility of all citizens, but what about our free-of-charge offer?”
Bester said his organisation has major reservations about the unfunded budget passed by the council for the new financial year that started on July 1.
“What is the municipality doing to recoup outstanding debt? (They were quoted in the Courier as saying this debt is causing the budget to be unfunded)
“We know there is an agreement in place with Eskom to pay off the massive municipal debt, but what are the details of the agreement?
“We still don’t know, despite numerous requests to have it made public.”
Bester said the ERA would be actively campaigning for independent councillors to stand in all wards in the next local government elections.
“We would not rather have members of political parties representing us locally.
“Nationally and provincially, sure, but here in Endumeni, we cannot be at the mercy of politicians whose masters do not live locally or even know what the issues are.”
Bester said Endumeni is in a ‘severe mess’ and while ‘we appreciate the hard work of many municipal officials, it is clear that a new approach is needed’.
“The local economy is very shaky too, as we have had no new investment and with what we have here, who would invest their money in Endumeni?”
Bester claimed that the newly-formed Endumeni Chamber of Business would be finding ways to help make the area a more attractive destination for investors, going forward.
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