Letter: Open letter to the DA

Riaan Verster of Ballito writes an open letter to the Democratic Alliance councillors:

I think I speak for a number of other Ballito, Salt Rock and Sheffield residents when I say that I am bitterly disappointed with what is happening in these areas and the DA’s seeming unwillingness or inability to act.

Not a week goes by without us being reminded that we are paying rates and taxes to a municipal authority that appears intent on ignoring our legitimate concerns.

There is a long list of service delivery failures which plague our areas and this list continues to grow:

• The majority of street lights in Ballito do not work – this has been the case for between two to three years and, despite all sorts of promises and undertakings.

• Beaches have become a no-go zone over weekends and public holidays with the public consumption of alcohol by a handful of people bent on getting smashed and behaving atrociously. Law enforcement around these aspects at our beaches is primarily the responsibility of the municipality, which should then call on SAPS, BNW and UIP to assist – this is not what is happening.

• The crumbling infrastructure within our neighbourhoods, from unkempt parks, to overgrown verges, to roads being pockmarked by potholes. There are also a number of “abandoned building sites”.

• Poor service delivery from many KwaDukuza municipal departments, including the inability to get employees of the municipality to pick up a phone or to respond to emails, letters or messages.

While I believe it is generally accepted that all of the above failures are attributable to the KwaDukuza Municipality, we have elected DA councilors who are paid for making sure that our interests are looked after and raised with the municipality.

I have, personally, not seen the DA doing anything close to this.

We are given many promises about the DA being the only party strong and representative enough to look after the interests of residents.

When, however, we need to face the material issues that affect us as a community and need the DA to stand up and be counted… crickets.

The community of the Dolphin Coast, your voters, respectfully await your response.
(Letter shortened – Editor)

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