Residents talk about challenges

Msholozi should be proclaimed a town as soon as possible, with its own policing and other structures and its own rates and taxes collected. It should be controlled provincially and not piggy-back on White River as is currently the situation.

Second to that, most of White River’s infrastructure is totally outdated and cannot handle the needs of the increased population any more. The town has outgrown its roads network, sewerage system, educational facilities, accommodation for the elderly and other systems, while the City of Mbombela Local Municipality appears to be ignoring the problem and applying locally collected rates and tax monies elsewhere.

That was one of the urgent issues the White River Ratepayers and Residents Association (WRRA) asked representatives of the DA federal leadership to raise in parliament during their visit to the town on Monday.

Thandeka Mbabama and Solly Malatji visited the Mbombela constituency on February 4 and 5 and were accompanied by local councillors Kleinste van Rensburg, Trudie Grové-Morgan and Steve Schormann to KaNyamazane, Pienaar, White River, Kaapsehoop and Mhlolozi.

Representatives from the White River community raised several matters that need urgent intervention.

Frannie van der Riet of White River Primary presented numbers and facts regarding the current shortage of education facilities – both primary and high schools – in town to accommodate all eligible learners.

Rowan Torr explained the needs and situation around the local clinic. Still situated on the premises of the previous municipal clinic, it is now a provincial clinic, but Mpumalanga Province fails to fulfil its financial responsibilities towards the clinic. Furthermore it is inundated with patients from the greater White River area, mainly from Msholozi.

Msholozi was mentioned again when issues were raised regarding safety and security. Crime is rife in that informal settlement and occupies about 60 per cent of the White River police’s time and resources.

Water supply remains under pressure, once again because provision previously made to relieve the situation in town is now worsened by Msholozi again sharing this valued resource. In addition, the incapacity of the local sewage plant to handle volumes, contribute heavily to polluting the whole Crocodile River system downstream.

An old bone of contention that pleads for action is a so-called Mayor’s House in Peter Graham Street that was allegedly given to but never used by a previous mayor. It is has allegedly been occupied by vagrants ever since. Efforts to solicit action, or information, from Mbombela usually leads to a maze of political shenanigans. Meanwhile it often a hideaway for criminals.

Other issues like the lack of public toilets, a dumping site for building rubble and subsequent dumping in adjacent plantations were also raised, as well as a few projects planned for the future.

These include the Go Green Mpumalanga project, a possible tourist train between Nelspruit and Graskop, and an artist in the park facility.

After listening to these complaints, Thandeka further addressed the representatives on issues like expropriation of property, their stance on farm murders and other contentious issues before enjoying a finger supper together.