Criticism of service delivery is at an all-time high.
It is not uncommon for the reporters from the Estcourt News to receive several leads from residents about a plethora of challenges.
The majority of the residents who contact the Estcourt News have exhausted alternatives to remedy their problem or seek a solution and as a last resort, turn to the media to publicise their plight and ask questions of the local municipality. While all efforts are made to afford Inkosi Langalibalele Local Municipality right of reply, via the Communication Department, many of these ‘media enquiries’ go unanswered for weeks, sometimes months.
This week, we take a look at some of the service delivery concerns raised by locals who are still awaiting a response from the municipality.
On January 29, the dirty and blocked gutters in Albert Street, a ‘newly rehabilitated’ road, are a major cause for concern for business owners and residents alike. Accumulating sand and litter blocked the storm-water drains and at that time of year, with frequent rainfall, the road surface and pavements were flooded.
Residents had to wade through knee-high water when the gutters were blocked and heavy rain fell. This enquiry has not been responded to by the municipality.
READ:
Blocked gutters irk Albert Street business owners
Deteriorating state of Albert Street
In February, on the 11th and 28th, the municipality was asked about the pothole repair plan after complaints about the deteriorating state of the town’s roads, with potholes widening and resurfacing taking place after heavy, prolonged rainfall.
Information requested by the Estcourt News included details of the roads in the central business district and residential areas that are in line to be repaired, the time frame, the plan, as well as suggestions from locals. This too remains unanswered.
READ: Gaping potholes continue to plague Estcourt
Overgrown verges and long grass came under the spotlight at the end of February, and the municipality issued a grass cutting schedule that was meant to be complete by March 1. Scant with detailed information, the schedule did not specify street names and did not include residential areas.
This information was requested from Inkosi Langalibalele Local Municipality on February 28, but no response has been received as yet.
Since the end of last year, refuse removal has been erratic. Litter and refuse bags were strewn in the streets for days, even weeks. This was due to both refuse compactor trucks breaking down.
Even though the refuse removal has returned to some normality, the Estcourt News has been awaiting feedback from the municipality since March 29 about the current state of the refuse removal vehicles.
Since 2014, residents in Dove Tree Road have not seen regular service delivery.
In December last year, two homeowners described the area as “a dump”, substantiating that the incomplete road and long grass made them ashamed to host visitors. After no response was received from Inkosi Langalibalele Local Municipality, one of the homeowners, who wished to remain anonymous, revisited the Estcourt News office in March to rekindle the story.
READ MORE: Dovetree Road homeowners plead for service delivery
On March 29, a media enquiry with the resident’s concerns and comments regarding non-existent service delivery was sent to the Communication Department, but no response has been received.
248 municipal employees are awaiting a decision regarding the mass retrenchments proposed by the local municipality to cut costs after it was placed under Administration. Worker unions, the Independent Municipal & Allied Workers Union (Imatu) and South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) have strongly opposed the proposed retrenchments, organising protests and meetings, as well as issuing statements about their intentions.
The local municipality has remained silent about the current status of the proposed job cuts since the Estcourt News enquired on April 16.
The growing number of non-operational vehicles gathering at the fire station in Elizabeth Avenue peaked the attention of locals, one of whom contacted the Estcourt News to pose questions to the municipality.
“Our fire station looks like a scrap yard; cars are jacked up. This looks very bad and I want to know what the reason for this is,” commented the resident.
On January 29, a media enquiry was sent to the Communication Department, but a response is yet to be received.
An informal car wash was observed operating at the entrance to the Keate Street cemetery. A resident who reported it to the Estcourt News was full of scorn, saying that a cemetery should be treated with respect and enquired about what the town’s by-laws say. Inkosi Langalibalele Local Municipality has not responded to any of the questions posed about this concern.
READ: Cemetery entrance turns into car wash in Estcourt
While residents eagerly await answers about their service delivery concerns, week after week, reporters from the Estcourt News cross their fingers and hope that another article will not end with “…no response was received from the local municipality”.
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