Letter: DA is failing ratepayers

Open letter to the Democratic Alliance (DA) and DA councillors, from Riaan Verster of Ballito:

In my letter of February 25 I pointed out that most residents of Ballito, Salt Rock and Sheffield are bitterly disappointed with what is happening in these areas and the DA’s seeming inability to act in the best interests of the people that voted them into these wards.

You hold paid positions and you are supposed to be working at protecting the interests of the communities you represent.

I pointed out a number of very concerning service delivery issues not being attended to by the KwaDukuza Municipality (KDM) and how it was failing in its legal duties to provide acceptable services and value for many in exchange for the rates and taxes paid to it.

I also asked that the DA and its KDM councillors respond to me on the actions being taken to counter this growing service delivery rot, but little to nothing has been forthcoming or, at least from what I know, done to date to fully address the major concerns we have with aspects such as non- working streetlights, gaping potholes and the general service delivery apathy demonstrated by the KDM and its senior management.

One of the aspects raised was that KwaDukuza’s beaches had become no-go zones over public holidays and the festive season, with the public consumption of alcohol by people in car parks at these beaches or on the beaches themselves creating havoc.

The consumption of alcohol on our beaches and public areas is illegal in terms of the KDM bylaws.

These bylaws are being flaunted and the KDM’s ongoing failure to enforce its own bylaws in this regard invariably results in these people getting drunk, music blaring, beach fires being lit, traffic control becoming impossible, street brawls, people being stabbed or shot at, people taking their clothes off, people having sex in broad daylight and in full sight of children, driveways being blocked and gardens / walls / shopfronts of properties on the beachfront being vandalised or becoming public urinals.

This behaviour, which has become all too common on our beaches, has rendered these public areas unsafe for law-abiding citizens, young families with children, whether Indian, Coloured, Black or White, and it is clearly impacting residents and businesses of Ballito and tourism to Ballito.

Law enforcement around these aspects at our beaches is the primary responsibility of the municipality. 

If the KDM is unable to enforce its bylaws, it should then call on Saps, the UIP or local security companies to assist.

The KDM remains silent and refuses to acknowledge it as an issue – this is what resulted in the December 2019 / January 2020 festive season being a fiasco and it is still not clear what the KDM’s plans to do in the coming festive season (now just a month away) and what it has committed from a manpower standpoint to ensuring law enforcement and safety on the beaches.

I am asking it again – what has the DA done?

What letters have been written?

What commitments have been obtained?

What ultimatums have been issued?

If the ultimatums aren’t met, what will the DA do to ensure the KDM meets its legal duties?

Please ensure you answer these questions in such a way as to allow me to present them to the community so that people are very clear on where to make their cross when the next municipal elections come around.