27-hour Project a bitter sweet affair

Councillor Dave Dewes has mixed feelings on his 27-hour project that kicked off on 12 April at the Roodepoort Rugby Club Informal Settlement.

A fair amount of residents came to give their support on the day, some not affiliated to the DA.

The Record spoke to Dewes after the project to gauge his feelings on its success.

“When local Government violate basic human rights by not providing adequate drinking water, humane ablution facilities and decent roads so emergency vehicles can access a local informal settlement, then you most definitely do not have a good story to tell,” says Dewes.

“What is even more disgraceful, is that the promises of budget allocation to rectify this inhumane situation, made directly to the poorest of the poor by Region C Housing officials on more than one occasion, has not materialized.

“Yet as the local DA politician, I have chosen not to focus on the blatant non delivery of the ANC run government but have tried to prove what is possible when ordinary people stand together and make a difference so desperately needed in our historically divided society,” continued Dewes.

“This weekend was an eye opening experience with businesses like Twin-M, Mantle Brothers and JJ Architectural Designers and Builders providing free of charge, a grader, TLB and a bob-cat to upgrade the road infrastructure and clean up the filth. This intervention would have normally cost in excess of R30 000-00. Plumbers Market and Aqua plumbing provided the piping and taps to upgrade water supply. Hire All provided weed eaters and chain saws and a new company, Clean It Up, did a sterling job in collecting over 200 bags of rubbish,” says a clearly flabbergasted Dewes.

Dewes also says that Enviro-loo will be providing a waterless toilet and that local pharmacist, Stephen Beukes, bought a solar panel that will provide 10 shacks with lighting.

“Here is factual proof of what is possible when ordinary citizens wake up to the real reality, that nothing will change unless we stick together and start making a difference. The very difference so desperately needed to brake the racial voting patterns in our beautiful country”.

Dewes ended on a sour note, lamenting the fact that “in a Record article last week, I appealed to readers to assist with the above and other projects by giving up 27 hours of their year to make a difference. On Friday, my telephone did not stop ringing. Sadly every call was about one or another complaint, not a single reader volunteered to get involved. Yet I remain positive because I know there are more people out there like these amazing businesses that helped me this weekend”

Dewes ended the interview by thanking those that helped for “keeping him sane”.