Ward 27 councillor Lornette Joseph, who was appointed in December at the municipal by-elections, said the job is hard as she had to do some catch-up work, some dating back as far as two years ago.
“I love every minute of it, even though I don’t like it sometimes.”
Joseph explained the role of a councillor is to be the middleman between residents and officials.
They are the voice of residents in the council and fight for service delivery.
She added that since her appointment, she had been a hands-on councillor and transparent to the residents in her ward as she believes informed residents are calmer.
She highlighted the following issues in her ward:
• No grass or trees have been cut regularly.
• Road conditions, many potholes and roads need resurfacing.
• The Northmead Water Tower; there is no date set for the completion of the water tower and due to this, Joseph had taken the matter to the province through a signed petition that voiced the concerns of frustrated residents regarding the intermittent water supply related to the ongoing delays in the upgrade and the fact that there are no generators at the existing pump station.
“Water is a constitutional right and when there is no power, residents do not have water, which is unacceptable.
“We are waiting for a response from the province.”
Joseph said she had stuck to everything she said during her campaign but nothing could have prepared her for the residents who would use harsh words in their frustration; she had to learn to not take things personally.
“With more time I would have liked to change the IDP as it was not good enough for the residents and does not close the gap on things that have not been done.
“I wanted to complete Pretoria Road and ensure all that is budgeted for in the IDP comes to pass.”
Joseph is responsible for Morehill, Airfield, Northmead, Ebotse Golf and Country Estate and the bulk of Rynfield. She can be contacted on 083 847 4510.
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