They made the following demands:
- the municipality must cancel existing water debts;
- the community wants RDP contractors to be billed for water used before the homes are occupied, and they want repairs done to broken water meters and pipes damaged by contractors;
- they want the blocked electricity, which the municipality has apparently done without proper communication, to be unblocked;
- they want ward councillor Refiloe Nt’sekhe to step down;
- permanent homes for the people currently occupying the N12 informal settlement;
- tarred roads;
- a police station to replace Crystal Park Police Station;
- a multi-purpose centre and a library to service the area and the many jobless and unskilled youths.
The community members have given the municipality seven days to respond to the demands and grievances.
If the deadline elapses without communication, the residents have vowed to close the N12 and all busy roads surrounding Chief Albert Luthuli Park until the demands are met.
Nt’sekhe responded by saying: “If the community of Chief Albert Luthuli Park find me useless, then they need to follow the proper processes of having a councillor removed, noting that Chief Albert Luthuli Park is but one suburb of the 11 suburbs that exist within ward 24. ”
“The community would need to also be specific about what they mean by the word ‘useless’.”
An example that was brought to the councillor’s attention was that there has not been a public meeting in CALP since 2011. “This is totally false and, as late November 2013, there was a public meeting which was held with the residents of Extension Six; Freddy Mataboge was also invited to discuss issues with the community,” Nt’sekhe said.
“On January 23, a public meeting was held in the councillor’s office in CALP, to which all members of the community who had reported having challenges with their bills were invited.”
“At the same meeting, Mr Ntshangase was in attendance and recommended that a bigger campaign be conducted.”
“This particular campaign took place on February 22, this year. Nt’sekhe was informed that the officials had loud-hailed to inform the public of this campaign.
“Nt’sekhe has submitted to council many questions about the N12 informal settlement, including a motion requesting that they be given housing.
“The responses to her questions have mainly been that there is a case between the N12 residents and the municipality and the matter is, therefore, “sub judice”.
“The motion for the N12 residents was voted against by the ANC.
“The requests for street names and tarring of CALP is sitting in the IDP, but, when there are urgent requests, these are tabled via the CCC manager, who is no longer there (Marrium Mahlangu), and directly with the roads department.
“Nt’sekhe is unable to respond on behalf of the police station,but can state that she had an arrangement with the station that, on Wednesdays, from 10am, the sector commander used her CALP office to do affidavits and certification of documents. This was an attempt to bring SAPS services closer to the people.
“The multipurpose centre has been the IDP priority for the ward since 2012.
“It is now up to the officials to ensure that it is built.
“The social development department contacted Nt’sekhe in 2013, requesting an erf that would be suitable for such development. She suggested the piece of land next to the grounds in Extension One.
“To date, the councillor is waiting for a way forward, which will then be communicated to the community.”
