Cut short with songs
CHAOS erupted at a service delivery meeting in Leeuwfontein, Sekhukhune when residents disrupted proceedings by singing struggle songs at the top of their voices on Sunday.
Dan Mdluli
SEKHUKUNE – CHAOS erupted at a service delivery meeting in Leeuwfontein, Sekhukhune when residents disrupted proceedings by singing struggle songs at the top of their voices on Sunday.
Dissatisfied residents in the Ephraim Mogale Municipality’s ward 8 accused the ward committee members of manipulating the meeting procedures to avoid certain items on the agenda, such as the employment of locals for community projects.
Residents alleged that ward councillor, George Mmakanyane, would not adhere to meeting procedures because he feared being exposed on the unscrupulous manner he employed locals into community projects.
But Mmakanyane said the disruption of the meeting was led by a group of residents who had personal grudges against the ward committee members. “This is a group of people with personal issues. However, service delivery programmes will still be rolled out to benefit the entire community. The ward committee is going to seek advice from the office of the speaker of council on the way forward following the disruption and the resulting cancellation of the meeting,” he said.
The meeting was intended to inform residents on the progress made with regard to the community-based plan adopted in 2011. It would further have sought to inform the residents on other community development projects the ward committee intended to embark on before leaving office next year ahead of the local government elections.
Ephraim Chiloane, leader of the Leeuwfontein Residents’ Association (LRA), blamed the disruption and cancellation of the meeting on the allegedly non-transparency of the ward committee on issues directly affecting the community. “All the residents wanted was the truth about some of the issues they were dissatisfied with, and clarity on the manner in which certain programmes were managed by the ward committee.” Moeketsi Choma, a resident, said there were serious problems in the manner in which the employment of locals to community projects was handled.
Municipal manager, Monica Mathebele, told CV they were still trying to gather information as to what happened at the meeting, and would compile a report, with the municipality taking the relevant action based on the findings.
