Editor
For the sake of expediting service delivery in this municipality, I propose that we have a ward by-election on a rotational basis every six months.
Like, this year we have it in Ward Four, then we have a lucky draw to determine which ward will have a by-election next.
The benefits of such an arrangement are stupendous. This may seem confusing at first, but please bear with me.
This year on March 26, we have the scheduled by-election in Ward Four.
What we will achieve, should we have regular by-elections, are the following:
In the run up to the election the ruling party, which will try anything to retain the ward, will bring up something like the water issue.
If I were a cynic, I would say that the issue has been kept on ice to thaw just before the election to show how concerned it is about the people of Ward Four. When the water Crisis Committee was formed in 2004 (I think) the members, none of whom were councillors at the time, agreed not to politicise the issue, but the ANC conveniently forgot this gentleman’s agreement in the run up to the 2011 local election.
So this year the residents may just possibly (I will not hold my breath until it happens) benefit a water account write-off, which was actually promised to them in 2011). Incidentally, this is not an ANC gift to the people; it comes from the pockets of consumers that have paid.
The ruling party will, as in this case, bully the municipality into doing what has been neglected for some seven years.
Rubble dumped illegally on verges and in the veldt will be removed (sort of anyhow or just pushed further into the veldt). The verges, which have not been cut in many years, will be butchered and other cosmetic projects undertaken.
For example, the neatening of the edges of the potholes.
I presume the object is to fill the hole with a black substance, which washes away in a short time.
If any attempts by the Civil Department to fix potholes anywhere in Estcourt was successful, please tell me.
The other issues like asbestos roofing; title deeds and solar geysers, cutting of grass on sports fields and marking of Princess Park for the first time in months can also be convenient items for future promises. The storm water drainage in the area has posed a problem for years, but it is not to be addressed this time around.
If my idea finds favour, this may be a handy pre-election project in 2016.
In this way every Ward will have a turn being promised of having some of it needs addressed every couple of years and besides which, just imagine the exciting gala event the ruling party can organise, at municipal expense of course, when the draw for the next by-election takes place.
Some of the benefits of a by-election are already in evidence.
We have seen the visits of Ministers of State, some of whom have not known of our existence.
The residents of Ward Four (or the next Ward chosen for a by-election) may even have the pleasure of seeing municipal workers doing something useful for a change.
What benefit the building of the new prison holds for the residents of Ward Four I’m not sure.
I’m sure that Ward Four residents took note of the ANC claim that they built the town hall.
The residents of “Sorder Ville” (according to the ANC leaflet) must be very happy with all the promises made and cosmetic projects undertaken last week.
LeRoy Gericke
Democratic Alliance