Councillor talks about town

DA councillor Farhad Essack writes:

It is with both concern and anger that I write to you. As DA councillor at TCM for many years now, I have sadly noticed the demise of our beautiful part of the world. I have seen tourism collapse in what was once the hub of South Africa. This has resulted in many businesses both in the hospitality and food industry having to cut back on costs and thereby employing fewer people.

I have seen crime escalate and people’s lives being lost due to the breakdown of our road infrastructure. I have witnessed basic service delivery collapse while millions still continue to disappear from this municipality. Every day one hears of famine and disease escalating around us, where citizens cannot even drink the contaminated tap water. Local clinics and accessibility to medication are no longer available. Municipal infrastructure grants continue to be spent on operational expenses.

Corruption at TCM is at an all-time high, where orders and tenders are being given to those that are connected.

Local councillors and politicians continue to thrive and drive fancy motor cars and live in comfortable homes while those who have voted them into power, continue to retrogress.

A perfect scenario of how the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

As it is election time now, I am prompted to issue a challenge to our local mayor

Mr Michael Ncongwane and to Mr Frik Rousseau of the FF+ and of course who the EFF deems fit to meet with me in an open public debate at the civic centre on a date and time convenient to them, whereby it can be told that the “ANC’s” slogan that they have a better story to tell can be challenged by us the DA where we will prove “that we have a true story to tell”.

I look forward to the challenge and I trust they will adhere to my request for a public debate so the people of TCM can be made to realise that this municipality under the DA’s rule will outperform.