Ward 99 councillor calls city to action
Councillor Hendrik Bodenstein is on a mission to restore essential services and hold the city accountable in his ward.
Emphasising the need for the city to focus on essential services, Ward 99 councillor Hendrik Bodenstein is taking a firm stance on the pressing issues facing his community. “No water in our taps, no lights in our homes. Streets dark and potholes that look like we are in a warzone. It is time the city fixes what is broken. We are not asking for miracles, just maintenance.”
Read more: Service delivery and communication the focus in Ward 99
Bodenstein added that his commitment to addressing these fundamental issues comes as residents raise their voices about the deteriorating state of infrastructure in the area, highlighting the frustrations over the lack of basic amenities. “I am determined to hold the city accountable for its responsibilities, insisting that the focus should be on ensuring that basic services are functioning properly.”
In addition to infrastructure concerns, he echoed ongoing problems with the city’s billing system, saying it has gone from bad to worse. “Residents are paying up, but still getting disconnected. We have now moved from a 90-day cycle to a 30-day cycle, and now shockingly to a 5-day cycle. That is financial whiplash, not governance.”
Also read: The ups and downs of Ward 99
He further critised the mayor’s high impact service delivery programme, stating that it has resulted in only a handful of fixed lights and minimal pothole repairs, which he deemed unacceptable.
Bodenstein assures that he is not hiding behind a desk, adding that he is, every second Monday of the month, at the residents’ service, face to face, no excuses. He emphasised that everyone in Ward 99, whether they are voters or not, deserves to be heard. “To enhance communication, I am rolling out WhatsApp groups to provide important updates more quickly. We’re also in the process of building a dedicated website for Ward 99, which I expect to launch by the weekend.”
In attempts to improve safety, he is also working to strengthen partnerships with the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Community Policing Forum (CPF) to improve visibility and response times, whilst underscoring the importance of functioning street lights in communities.
While his time as Ward 99 councillor may sound short, Bodenstein is getting the ball rolling to improve services for his residents while holding city officials accountable.
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Related article: How Ward 99 councillor handles power outages
