Tedstoneville residents left to fend for themselves

Residents of Tedstoneville expressed their growing frustration over what they describe as ongoing neglect and a lack of accountability from their ward councillor, as basic service delivery issues continue to pile up.

Community members say they have been left to fend for themselves, often forced to organise and fight for services that should be routinely provided.

From uncollected refuse to overgrown grass and deteriorating infrastructure, residents argue that their concerns are repeatedly ignored.

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The situation recently reached a breaking point following a prolonged power outage that left large parts of the community in the dark for days.

According to resident Amber Simmons, the outage could have been resolved much sooner had the ward councillor intervened in a timely manner.

Instead, the councillor took no action to assist with the matter, even after residents reached out to her.

“We were left helpless. No updates, no urgency, nothing. Food went bad, fridges defrosted completely. We lost so much,” said Simmons.

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She said the impact was severe, with households reporting spoiled groceries. Others had to go to family members due to health reasons.

Frustrated by the lack of response, Simmoms took matters into her own hands and escalated the issue directly to the MMC for Metro Utilities (Trading), Jean Sthato.

It was only after this intervention, residents say, that power was finally restored.

The incident has further fuelled anger among community members, who believe it highlights a pattern of inaction and poor leadership at a local level.

“This shows that help only comes when we go above the council. What is the councillor’s role if we have to solve problems ourselves?” asked Simmons

Beyond electricity challenges, Tedstoneville continues to struggle with inconsistent refuse collection, overgrown public spaces, and, residents say, a general decline in service standards.

Residents also allege that the ward councillor is frequently absent and has done little to improve the area.

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Germiston City News has also attempted to reach the councillor for comment.

Community members are now calling for urgent intervention from higher levels of government, demanding accountability and a clear plan to address the area’s mounting challenges.

Also, residents are calling for the current councillor to step down as she is not serving the interests of the people.

As frustration grows, residents warn that patience is wearing thin, and without decisive action, tensions in the community might escalate.

An enquiry was sent to the city regarding a way forward on Tedstoneville service delivery issues; no comment was received at the time of going to print.