Insults fly at CDM council imbizo
The crowd could not be called to order after the Lepelle Nkumpi Development Party (LNDP) president told them to be quiet
LIMPOPO – Tempers flared during the Capricorn District Municipality (CDM) council imbizo last Wednesday when community members of Dithabaneng village in Ga-Mphahlele demanded to know why they still lack basic services such as access to water and electricity. This infuriated Lepelle Nkumpi Development Party (LNDP) President, Phauwe Mphahlele.
He said the community was wasting time by discussing such matters and he told them to keep quiet.
He said there are residents who have nothing to share with the council because they don’t know what they want. “We cannot keep listening to someone who has no point at all during such gatherings because time needs to be respected,” Mphahlele said.
CDM Speaker, Nakedi Lekganyane, managed to calm the situation and placate the community. However, the Speaker of Lepelle-Nkumpi, Barnard Ntsoane, who’s duty it was to drive the council, could not manage to continue as some of the residents refused to cooperate and told him that the council had failed them several times.
A concerned resident, Jonas Kekana, said the CDM once built them a water plant, however, they have never received a drop of water from that plant because the pumping machine was stolen and no one is prepared to replace it.
“We are now forced to drink water with animals from the nearest river. This water is dirty and unsafe, leaving us fearing for our lives because of the increased risk of getting cholera. It is shocking and disappointing to still live in such conditions after so many years of democracy,” Kekana said.
In response to the concerns voiced, CDM Mayor, John Mpe, said the municipality has done its best, however all services cannot be delivered all at once and he explained that it will take time.
“The municipality is still running under the previous council Integrated Development Plan (IDP) budget. We are aware that the provision of water still remains a serious challenge in our communities and we are going to put aside an amount of R26 million in the next IDP Budget to address and resolve water supply issues for communities,” Mpe explained.
