The Lowveld’s shine is fading, say gatvol residents
Lowvelders have their say on the lack of service delivery
A social media storm erupted this week when residents of the City of Mbombela and its surrounds decided enough is enough.
On Friday, January 17, Lowvelder launched a campaign to create a dedicated platform for readers to voice their frustrations about service delivery issues. The Gatvol Campaign is striking a chord with many in the community who are fed up with the poor service delivery and deteriorating conditions in Mbombela. It is a powerful example of how people can come together to demand accountability and push for necessary changes.
“What is happening to our city?” many asked, calling out the City of Mbombela’s (CoM) mayor, Sibongile Makushe-Mazibuko. “The insane potholes that are extremely dangerous! The filth and illegal dumping on the old KaNyamazane road/KaMagugu road. The lack of traffic control during peak times … Just look at the accidents on that road! The disgusting and criminal state of Rob Ferreira Hospital. Have you seen the state of the ‘public library’? … Gatvol!,” said well-known resident, Peta de Wet.
“Potholes (Percy Fitzpatrick and Enos Mabuza), overgrown sidewalks, illegal dumping, littering, streetlights out of order for months. In short, we need the CoM to roll up its sleeves and be accountable for what they are supposed to do … just do your work we pay for! Take responsibility! Residents (including security complexes and estates) are responsible for their own sidewalks – please keep them clean and tidy …” said Hermie van der Berg.
“The whole of White River is full of potholes! And the water is a disgrace. People in three households even found worms in their water! Power cut every now and then, almost every day, costing us our appliances! We are gatvol. Where are the people who earn money for doing nothing? If they do fix anything, they wreck the place and don’t fix it again!” said Georgean Engelbrecht.
Gatvol to see the deterioration of a place I care deeply about (my hometown), especially when it impacts daily life like the condition of my car with the potholes, etc. Gatvol for the sad state our town is in. Gatvol for the litter everywhere. Gatvol for the buildings, structures, signs, etc etc, that are falling into disrepair. But grateful for people like TJ Maré who really, really tries to keep up cleaning and maintaining our town,” said Elmarie Schoonraad.
To participate, simply head over to the comment section of Lowvelder’s Facebook page and share your grievances, or email them to [email protected], or WhatsApp 082 368 1446, with an accompanying photograph (if possible). Whether it’s the hazardous potholes that plague our roads, dirty water, or any other issue making you gatvol, we want to hear from you. Your feedback is invaluable in highlighting the areas that need immediate attention and improvement. By voicing your frustrations, you are not only raising awareness, but also contributing to potential solutions. Don’t let your frustrations go unheard. Join the Gatvol Campaign today and be the change you want to see.
Cllr SE Makushe-Mazibuko, executive mayor of the City of Mbombela, speaks on potholes.
In attempt to address some of the issues raised, Makushe-Mazibuko said: “Potholes form when it rains, because rainwater seeps into cracks on the road surface, weakening the asphalt and causing small cracks to expand further, especially when vehicles drive over them. This, essentially, washes the materials underneath away, leading to the formation of a pothole. This process is exacerbated by repeated cycles of wet and dry weather, and heavy traffic further contributes to the problem. This persistent rain makes it hard to fix potholes as we normally use hot asphalt, however, patching with cold asphalt in some areas is under way.”
Makushe-Mazibuko said she understands all the frustrations, and the CoM is looking at mechanisms to deal with potholes especially. “When the rain subsides, we will be pushing to ensure the patching gets done. I spoke to the premier on Wednesday and mentioned that we will need district and provincial public works to work with us to assist in ensuring we patch faster. We’ve also bought our own Jetpatcher to assist in patching faster, cost-effectively. Our teams are being trained on the use of the machine, as it was only delivered last Monday. Residents’ continued patience is appreciated.”
On the suggestion that some roads cannot simply be patched, she said: “Some roads are being redone. We communicate our plans regularly. We hold consultative IDP meetings, and ward councillors call community meetings to communicate the decisions made. We are working with the business community. We also have city improvement districts in place. We have opened up the ‘adopting a spot’ initiative and businesses have come forth to adopt parks and such. On top of usual community meetings, we are communicating on our social media platforms. We have requested councillors to also open WhatsApp groups on which they can communicate. I go on radio and TV solely to communicate.”
On the question of proof that the roads are being redone, she said: “There’s many roads being redone in Mbombela. It would take me forever to start posting every road that has been redone or newly constructed. We have 45 wards.”
On the White River water issues, she said the water is lab-tested in Mbombela and is safe for consumption. “I stay in White River and drink the water myself. Ward meetings are called and attended by councillors who take concerns to the municipality. That’s how the line of communication is done, and all councillors know this.”
On the issues of parks being maintained by the private sector and streetlights
being out of order, the mayor replied: “This narrative of the private sector keeping the city neat is also not true, but widely circulated and made gospel truth, unfortunately. The City will cut 3 000m and private people cut 500m, then it’s a hoo-ha and all over the news, and donations trickle in. I’m sure employees need no praise for doing what they are being paid to do, however, rubbishing everything they do or minimising their efforts is quite unfair on them. Be that as it may, we appreciate everyone working together with the city council. This is called ‘active citizenry’ and shows the spirit of volunteerism. It happens worldwide; it’s not new to South Africa. I come from a township where the community donated to build their own school before democracy, and that school is now a government school.”
She did not respond to the issues surrounding streetlights.
BUCO: www.facebook.com/BUCONST
