Local NPO demands urgent meeting with councillor
The unavailability of the councillor has caused frustrations for members of the local NPO.
Members of a local NPO in Daveyton have expressed grievances against their ward councillor who they feel isn’t fulfilling his mandate of serving the community.
According to Nick Madi, founder of Minanawe Community Care Partners, their efforts of trying to engage with their ward councillor, Stenias Mashala, have proven unsuccessful.
The organisation caters to dozens of vulnerable children and adults as it provides food parcels and other community projects.
“During the establishment of our organisation in 2020, we contacted him so we could introduce ourselves as a new organisation but he turned us down and said he is on lockdown. We understood because we were in the middle of such a hard lockdown.”
Madi said when eventually the country was ‘opened’, they tried to reach out to him but he continued to ignore them.
“We would phone and WhatsApp him but receive no response. I believe that organisations and councillors should work hand in hand because they are there to assist the community. It becomes a problem when the person who is supposed to be working with us, doesn’t want to speak with us.”
Fast forward to 2022, Madi said they still needed the services of their councillor because they’ve applied for the commissioning authority, through the Benoni Magistrate’s Court, to help members of the community who need to certify documents.
“To get to our local police station in Putfontein, we have to walk long distances just to certify documents. It’s also not safe because people get mugged while going to the police station.
“We have in our possession this document that needs to be signed by him,” said Madi.
He added that he has approached the customer care centre in Daveyton for help but they have referred him back to the councillor.
The City Times tried to seek comment from Mashala, but his phone rang unanswered.
Meanwhile, the metro shared that if any member of the public has a complaint against their councillor, they must contact the office of the speaker of the City.
According to Sphelele Nxele, a formal letter to the office can be sent or the complainant can visit the office of the speaker with the letter expressing their issues against the councillor. Email Boitumelo.Mvulane@gmail.com or call 011 999 1721.
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