Liar liar!
No, it’s not Jim Carey in the 1997 movie Liar Liar; it’s our own Steve Tshwete Local Municipality.
Residents and councillors are being blatantly lied to.

The latest is about the potholes in town

From Protea Street to the low-water bridge, there are 23 potholes.
They are getting deeper and more dangerous.
Motorists have already filled the holes with sand and large stones.

Enquiries were made to two councillors, who both confirmed that the municipality does not have the money to buy tar.
When enquiries were made to the city council’s communications department, the answer from Lerato Kgomo was, “The municipality has never stopped patching or fixing potholes; it’s an ongoing maintenance plan.”
Doesn’t she drive the same roads as residents?
Doesn’t she see that no potholes have been fixed for months?

In the summer, the excuse was that it rained too much, and the potholes could not be fixed.
Now it is simply not being done, but taxpayers are being lied to that it is being done.
When councillor Deon van der Merwe asked why media enquiries were not being answered, the municipality gave a long explanation that enquiries were being answered.

A lie!

Enquiries have gone unanswered since last year about the Medina Abattoir problems and the pine trees that were cut down.
In last week’s edition of the Middelburg Observer, the last sentence again was, “The municipality’s feedback is being awaited.”
The media enquiry about the potholes was one of the few that were answered in the last year.

A lie upon a lie

After the felling of the pine plantation in Verdoorn Street and Dennesig, it was reported that the trees had become rotten and had to be cut down. New trees would be planted before the end of March.
Dear taxpayer, have you seen any new trees? And it’s already the beginning of July!

Residents who regularly visited the Verdoorn Street plantation also testified that there were no rotten trees.
We will never know, and what really happened is swept under the carpet.

The same applies to the Kees Taljaard Stadium.
After a question that was raised before the council, it was said that maintenance is indeed being done at the stadium.
Everyone can see how filthy the stadium is.

Weeds are taking over everywhere, and pigeon droppings are filling the main pavilion.
Another lie: the rugby club has never done its own maintenance.
They have already cut the grass themselves and fixed the lights.

Liar liar

One day, Municipal Manager Mandla Mnguni sent a message saying, “The municipality noted with great concern the misleading messages circulating on WhatsApp stating that there will be no refuse collection services for an indefinite period and that the solid waste department have all been suspended. Our refuse services teams are still working hard to deliver services despite the shortage of resources.”
This was after councillors sent messages that residents should not put out their wheelie bins.

The next day, Mnguni sent another message, saying, “It is with deep regret to inform the residents of Steve Tshwete Local Municipality of the ongoing disruptions in refuse collection services.”
Since then, garbage has not been removed, and the town centre is already disappearing under the garbage.
Municipal workers have been sitting idle since Tuesday, and our hard-earned money for services is being squandered.

The Observersent Kgomo a query a week ago after she claimed that the potholes were being fixed. Good news, but residents don’t see them busy repairing the potholes.
Potholes are getting bigger and bigger, especially in Harry Gwala and Asalia streets.
Please tell us where they are busy.
According to councillors, the municipality doesn’t have any money to buy tar to do the work, true or not?
We are still waiting for an answer.

Queries were also sent to Kgomo on June 21, including:

• The Steve Tshwete Municipality’s answers over the past year indicate several untruths. Please clarify.
• The pine plantation in Verdoorn Street will be replaced with new trees at the end of March. No new trees were planted three months later.
• Maintenance is being done at the Kees Taljaard Stadium. Weeds are growing everywhere, and the pavilions are a pigsty.
• The rugby club has never done its own maintenance. According to Steve Tshwete Local Municipality’s answer, this is true. However, the club has done repairs several times itself, including the lights and cutting the grass.
• Media enquiries are being answered. There are three of my enquiries that have not been answered since last year, including Medina Abattoir, the cemetery, and the pine plantation that was cut down.

We are still waiting for answers.

Jim Carey stopped lying in Liar Liar.
Can we expect anything from the Steve Tshwete Local Municipality?