Tempers flared and emotions ran high when the mayor was among those who didn’t pitch up for the IDP meeting at the Mayor’s Parlour on Wednesday, 12 February.
What was scheduled to be an important meeting between residents and the Rand West City Local Municipality (RWCLM) that day was only a disappointment as both the mayor and other members of the committee were absent. Some speakers said they felt snubbed by the municipal manager, who was among the absent RWCLM officials.
Moathlodi Molefe, who went head to head with a municipal representative, criticised the meeting and said the structure of the IDP meeting was incomplete and flouted municipal legislation.
“According to the IDP’s process regulations, there is no way the meeting can be held without the mayor, chief financial officer (CFO) and the municipality manager. I want to understand the consistency of applying rules in the municipality.”
Directing his comment at Gladys Khoza, the MMC for Infrastructure, Molefe added, “I am very disappointed about the IDP process carrying on without communities being properly informed. Look at the number of people in this room. Does this represent the whole of Rand West City?”
Heidi van Wyk, angered by the deteriorating state of Rand West City, said, “I just want to find out why so much money is being spent on new projects, instead on rehabilitating this town. When you drive into this town, bridges look like they were built ages ago but never maintained – for example, no one is doing anything to upgrade the Robinson bridge.
“It is actually embarrassing to try and sell people a property, with the roads in such horrid conditions. The sewers are also overflowing and when you phone for service, there is none.”
Van Wyk who at some point became emotional, went on to ask, “Why can’t anyone help you when your transformer burns? Why do you have to wait for two days to get a new one? Instead of fixing the already decaying town, millions of rand are being used to fund overpriced new projects.
“I have been living here for 60 years and I have never seen the town like this. I am very emotional about it. You can’t answer me because you sit in high places and do not give a damn about us!”
Parice Mkhize, who also expressed his disappointment at the quality of the RMCLM’s projects, said the municipality has had almost five years in office but has failed to make improvements.
Louis Jordan, a representative of the Rand West Municipal Ratepayers Association (RAMRA) also complained that IDPs overlook existing problems to focus on new projects.
“As RAMRA we are going to start taking the municipality to court because talking is just a waste of time,” Jordan said.
Khoza said it is important that such inputs are made so that planning can get under way.
“We will also continue talking to you, as our stakeholders, so that you can be familiar with all the challenges that we face as the municipality,” Khoza said.
