With service delivery in Kempton Park seemingly in a downward spiral, a concerned Bonaero Park has now turned to the office of the president for help.
“Mr President, I appeal to you to please peruse this attachment and assist our community. Please, please. I also appeal to our council, Ekurhuleni, and our mayor to help our community,” read an email from Glenda Aucamp to the authorities.
Attached to the email is a spread sheet of all complaints logged for service delivery in Brentwood Park, Pomona and Bonaero Park from May to November this year.
The spread sheet has been compiled from service delivery issues captured on a WhatsApp service delivery group started by ward councillor André du Plessis.
The information includes the dates, times and issue reported. Topping the list of complaints are water and power outages. Other regular service delivery issues are waste removal and sewage leaks.
“It is quite clear from this information provided, the inhumane conditions our community are living in and the challenges that face our community and our councillor on a daily basis,” Aucamp said.
This follows the rejection of a recent motion brought to council by the DA in Ekurhuleni.
Du Plessis, who is also the DA Shadow MMC for Environment and Waste Management in Ekurhuleni, said the urgent motion sought to compel the City to deliver on its mandate of delivering basic services to residents across Ekurhuleni.
However, the speaker of council, Alderman Patricia Kumalo, declined the motion and it was not heard in council.
“This, despite residents and the DA calling for better and improved services as rampant power failures, widespread water outages and non-delivery of refuse removal cripples the City,” said du Plessis.
“Despite numerous top management meetings with the various departments, the failure of basic services continue and residents are growing increasingly frustrated. Executive mayor Clr Mzwandile Masina, in his mayoral speech, alluded to the struggles of regular power outages, particularly in Kempton Park.
“As the DA, we find this level of non-performance unacceptable and called on the City to take action and put measures in place to rapidly improve the state of basic services across Ekurhuleni. We also called on the executive mayor to take action against the relevant MMCs and the city manager to investigate the heads of department and top officials responsible for the smooth delivery of services,” du Plessis added.
“Service delivery is the basic core function of the municipality and failure to execute its basic function is a clear indication that the ANC-led metro does not have its residents’ best interests at heart.
“The residents are fed up and the speaker’s decision to not accept our motion highlights that the ANC is not serious about improving the lives of its residents. The buck stops here. The DA will continue to pressure the City of Ekurhuleni to ensure reliable basic services to its people.”
