Ratepayers of Hazyview now have a platform where they can discuss issues that affect the town and its residents. This is thanks to the recently formed Hazyview Ratepayers Association (HRA).
For a long time now residents have not been satisfied with the service delivery in town and felt that they weren’t getting satisfactory answers from the Mbombela Local Municipality. The association is a group of residents motivated to address the lack of communication by forming an official body. Their aim is to form a liaison between the aforementioned parties and to give ratepayers a platform to air their grievances. They want to ensure that people receive the services for which they pay and that the money is properly utilised.
So far there have been two committee meetings and one general meeting, but the latter was not well attended. The committee believes that the attendance and involvement of ratepayers will grow as the organisation grows.
Each member has been assigned a portfolio and is responsible for certain areas and tasks. As the HRA becomes more established, ratepayers will become more familiar with these members and be able to contact the relevant persons when they experience trouble with the municipality and its services.
As the organisation is still in its infancy, it currently communicates with ratepayers via its Facebook page – Hazyview Rate Payers Association. People are welcome to post their complaints, suggestions and enquiries here. The committee will then endeavour to respond as soon as possible.
There are several issues that were discussed in the recent general meeting. Firstly it was the sewerage system, which has been a problem for years, but will hopefully be solved now that the development of a new sewage transfer plant has been started below the Twin Cities shopping mall.
The terrible state of the roads, as well as the lack of street lights in certain areas, pose safety risks for motorists. There have also been complaints of non-functional street lights in some parts of town.
Stray cattle have also become an increasing danger to drivers, as they wander into town when unattended.
There have been reports of these cattle being run over by vehicles, with pedestrians and motorists having to bear the gruesome sight for a while, before the carcass can be removed.
Thanks to increased police patrols, locals feel a little safer at night, but adequate security for both residents and tourists remains a firm priority.
Illegal dumping is also one of the bigger issues that urgently need to be addressed. The town is covered in litter from the multitude of illegal roadside stalls as well as pedestrians and people passing through. One of the committee members remarked that she wanted to be proud of her town, and currently this was not the case. As Hazyview is a favourite tourism destination and sees thousands of visitors passing through each year, it is important to keep up the town’s image. “Tourists know it as a beautiful little town and it should be kept as such,” one of the committee members remarked.
The HRA hopes to make positive changes to the town and urges ratepayers to join it in its efforts.
