Azaniaville residents struggle for basic services amid broken municipal promises

Residents of Azaniaville are facing significant hardships after being forcibly relocated from Mooi Bank to their current location between Dassie Rand and Promosa on April 17, 2023. The relocation, mandated by a court order, occurred just days before South Africa’s Freedom Day, adding a bitter twist to the community’s plight.

Before the move, the JB Marks Municipality had assured the residents that several critical developments would be implemented to ease their transition. These promises included the provision of lease agreements within three months, access to water and sanitation, and electricity. However, more than a year has passed, and none of these commitments have been fulfilled.

Charles Lekgetho, an activist for Azaniaville, voiced the community’s frustrations: “We were promised lease agreements within three months, but it’s been over a year, and we have nothing. No water, no sanitation, no electricity. We are living without basic services, and our pleas have fallen on deaf ears.”

The residents of Azaniaville are now living without basic services. Despite numerous letters and appeals to the municipality, their pleas for essential needs remain unanswered. Water, a fundamental human right, has been particularly problematic. “Requests for temporary communal taps have been met with empty promises,” Charles stated. “We are dependent on sporadic deliveries from water tank trucks, which sometimes arrive only after six or seven days.”

Frustration among the residents is palpable. They have reached out to various municipal departments, including the infrastructure office, only to be told that key officials are often unavailable, allegedly working in Ventersdorp. Attempts to engage with directors, MMCs, and managers responsible for service delivery have been similarly unproductive. “When we try to get help, we’re told officials are unavailable or working elsewhere. It’s like we’ve been forgotten,” Charles lamented.

In their desperation, the community sought the intervention of the municipality manager, only to be informed of his absence in Ventersdorp. This lack of response has left the residents feeling abandoned and ignored. “We feel completely abandoned. No one is listening to us, and our situation is getting worse,” Charles said.

The living conditions in Azaniaville are dire. The area lacks proper roads, and residents have no designated place to dispose of their rubbish. Requests for SKIP bins and road cleaning, discussed in a ward councillor meeting on June 28, 2024, have yet to be addressed. “We have no proper roads, and there’s nowhere to dispose of our rubbish. We asked for SKIP bins and road cleaning, but nothing has been done,” Charles pointed out. The community is left contemplating more drastic measures, such as protests and burning tyres, to draw attention to their plight. “We may have to resort to protests to make our voices heard,” Charles warned.

The JB Marks Municipality’s silence on these critical issues is deafening. As the community braces for another election cycle, they are acutely aware that politicians will soon come to campaign with fresh promises. However, the residents of Azaniaville have learned to be wary of such assurances. “We’ve heard these promises before, but nothing ever changes. We can’t trust them anymore,” Charles concluded.

The community’s call for the implementation of Section 27, which guarantees the right to water, sanitation, and a healthy environment, remains unmet. The residents of Azaniaville are not asking for luxuries; they are demanding their basic human rights. The question remains: will their cries for help be heard, or will they continue to be ignored by those in power?

The JB Marks Municipality did not comment on any of the facts stated by Charles Lekgetho.