Residents want answers from Masina
According to sectional committee member Bandile Mazibuko, the meeting was part of a report-back to the residents after they submitted a memorandum of grievances and follow-up letter to Ekurhuleni Executive Mayor Clr Masina's offices in April 22 this year.
On Saturday, a group of residents in ward 11 gathered at Endayeni taxi rank during a community meeting led by sectional committee members, to address issues that affect the community.
According to sectional committee member Bandile Mazibuko, the meeting was part of a report-back to the residents since they submitted a memorandum of grievances and follow-up letter to the offices of the Ekurhuleni Executive Mayor, Clr Mzwandile Masina, on April 22 this year.
“After we handed over our memorandum in April, Ekurhuleni has never bothered to respond to us. We then wrote a follow-up letter requesting a response by May 22, yet nobody has responded to us,” said Mazibuko.
The concerns included in the memorandum were illegal evictions, electricity cut-offs, high municipal bills, immediate allocation of stands for the people who have been on the waiting list for many years, title deeds for all households in the ward, separation of electricity bills from municipal rates, transparent ways of awarding tenders and ensuring those who benefit from them are residents of the ward, and transparent ways of employment when there is construction.
In a meeting at Endayeni taxi rank, residents strongly expressed their frustrations at buying electricity at the local municipality.
Residents seemed to be fed up with the metro’s failure to respond to their memorandum, and appealed to the mayor’s office to respond to their grievances.
They emphasised that safety is not negotiable and called for improved police visibility.
The residents also want the municipality to provide basic services such as roads, toilets, a drainage system and temporary electricity to the residents of Jamaica informal settlement.
“We will interact with other wards and we will involve the Public Protector to investigate concerns. We will find other avenues as a collective with other wards to find a way to solve grievances,” said Mazibuko.
A request for comment was sent on Monday, June 26 at 12.30pm to Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality communication department, with a request for comment by June 27 at 10am.
At the time of publication, no comment had been received.
