Deathly silence from Lekwa after protest
“Water is a necessity, not a want,” the document read.
The Lekwa Municipality is giving the South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) the cold shoulder.
Despite handing a memorandum of grievances to Lekwa on February 10, Sanco has not received a response.
William Mosia, their zonal chairperson, said on March 15 that a meeting could not be scheduled with the executive mayor, Delani Louis Thabethe.
“The issues are continuing, and the scarcity of water is a crisis,” Mosia also said.
“Toilets have flooded, and we cannot do the washing. It appears Lekwa is not serious about service delivery.”
He added that the town is filthy, and the lack of refuse removal has reached crisis proportions.
Sanco protested at the municipal building last month, with protestors carrying the organisation’s banners.
Their memorandum stated their grievances about service delivery issues.
The document stated that the mayor and his coalition undermined the community, and a coalition government was not the answer.
There was also a question about whether water was treated at the Standerton Water Treatment Plant.
“Water is a necessity, not a want,” the document read.
The Standerton Advertiser also published Sanco’s views in October last year when they again expressed concern about the water situation in town and the informal settlement.
Mosia and Khulekani Msomi then agreed that it is not healthy to drink tap water. A municipal water truck does rounds in Jabavu, Moroka, Ext 2, Phalama and Crossroads in Ward 5.
Sanco would like Rand Water to intervene and come to the rescue.
According to the information, the road conditions pose problems and ambulances can’t access certain streets because of potholes.
The newspaper tried to speak to a manager at the provincial ambulance services on March 23, but he was not allowed to talk to the media.
Regarding unemployment in Lekwa, Sanco demanded that locals are hired and not people outside the area.
“Local is lekker,” the document read.
Mosia mentioned the industries in town and the need for water supply, echoing the refrain that Standerton might become a ghost town.
Job losses would be the result after industries close down.
