SHOCKED EKURHULENI CITIZEN writes:
How on earth did it happen that Ekurhuleni won the top price for the cleanest city?
Because Kempton Park, and suburbs, Benoni and suburbs and the once pristine rural and agricultural areas of Bredell, Marister, Fairleads, Petite, just to name a few, definitely don’t fall into that category.
Surely the judges were blindfolded to the Lakes Hotel in Benoni, because if they took a taxi there, and had to see the absolutely dirty taxi rank area next to Lakeside Mall, and the state of the once pristine lakes in the area, they would have cancelled the award. What sustainable environmental practises are they referring to?
I wish for them to explain to the taxpayers what sustainable practises they have in place, because all we see is decay.
They talk about sustainable agriculture and greening, yet they allow more and more agricultural land to be turned into light industrial areas and mega malls.
And this while areas for industry are underutilised and vacant, causing a new problem of attracting vagrants. And other once prime industrial properties are standing empty and vandalised. Many malls have numerous empty shops but what do they do, they allow yet another mall.
Talking of waste management and water conservation. Manholes and storm water drains are filled with rubbish, preventing water to flow away, causing extreme water damage to property owners during the rain season.
Blocked water drains prevent water to flow to streams and rivers and the water that manages to flow through, is so polluted, making it unsafe for humans and animals.
With the last mayoral imbizo in Bredell a number of ward members lodged complaints and even handed the mayoral committee representative documents with complaints, one road was cleaned and that was it!
Almost all the other issues are still outstanding, like the waterway in Marister. And then they receive an award, for what?
I can just imagine how much this prestigious ceremony cost and how many streets could have been fixed, manholes cleaned, street cleaned, grass cut, water ways cleaned, lakes cleaned, road signs replaced, with our tax money.
A clean and safe environment for children to grow up in is much more important than an award. And much needed clinics for the rural areas like Elandsfontein are much more important.
How about giving us a glimpse into your 20-year plan. Because at this stage we feel that this is only a big show. Please go an look at old movies and pictures of Kempton Park, Benoni, Marister and Bredell of a few years ago. You will see clean properties, properly maintained pavements, clean water ways and lakes and street without huge potholes. What went wrong?
Talking about the greenest municipality, beer bottles, plastic bags, paper, uncut or burned grass and neglected parks for children, do not count as green, it is called rubbish.
Is it because people started to get rewards for things they did not accomplish, or is it because people are starting to go blind and don’t care any more? Is the fact that we pay tax and Ekurhuleni employees get pay not enough incentive to start doing their jobs and to really make Ekurhuleni residents proud of again?
