The Emalahleni Local Municipality leadership consulted residents throughout the weekend until Tuesday, to provide them an opportunity to influence the direction of the municipality budget and planning.
The Executive Mayor, Cllr Lindiwe Ntshalintshali presented a progress report on the 2016/17 project implementation and current 2017/2018 projects.
The communities were consulted during the Imbizo sessions which were held at Hlalanikahle Multi-purpose hall, Lynville Community Hall, Phola Community Hall, Kriel Hoërskool and the Civic Centre.
The overriding demands among most residents were houses, consistent water supply, electricity, fixing of potholes, recreational facilities, speed humps, dustbins and electricity in informal settlements.
Executive Mayor Cllr Lindiwe Ntshalintshali led Imbizo’s over the past weekend.
Cllr Ntshalintshali reported progress and completion of most projects related to roads and storm water, electrical projects, sanitation, and water.
“There are great strides in providing houses to homeless residents and we are not too far from reaching a target of 1 441 houses,” she said.
But Cllr Ntshalintshali warned residents that non payment of services and electricity were delaying the completion of projects.
She urged community members and businesses to pay for services and electricity as all of us are in danger of facing total darkness at the end of November. Eskom has issued a notice to switch off power unless the municipality make payment.
Residents in farming areas complained about water, sanitation, houses and electricity.
Cllr Ntshalintshali clarified that government was unable to bring them basic services including houses because they are located on private land.
Farming communities also requested the municipality to provide grazing land for their livestock.
The executive mayor reminded communities that houses were allocated according to criteria set out by council to prioritise pensioners, orphans, single mothers, and then backyard dwellers and the youth.
But houses are handed to residents who are on the housing demand data base.
Councillors call ward meetings and, accompanied by housing officials, they compile lists of residents who want to be on the waiting list.
Some residents who attended Imbizo rejected RDP houses and pleaded with the municipality to sell them stands to build.
Most participants who attended lauded the executive mayor for making bursaries available to young people to learn at tertiary institutions.
People who were unable to attend Imbizo or who could not make inputs have until the end of November to make submissions to their ward councillors.
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