Dear Reader,
Service delivery issues have plagued residents for many years. What happens when your cries for assistance fall on the ‘deaf ears’ of municipal officials and local council?
The Newcastle Advertiser is and always has been committed to helping where it can by being the voice for the greater community and more often than not it manages to unearth answers for residents who could not get the assistance they needed from local authorities – isn’t it time the community stands together and demands that their pleas be taken more seriously … that those we pay through our rates and taxes start doing their jobs more effectively? I mean, how dare they ignore the very people that pay their salaries or have placed them in their positions of power in council!
It is a sad day when communities’ pleas are so blatantly ignored that, instead of phoning the municipal call centre they resort to contacting the local newspaper hoping that finally this will propel municipal officials into action.
But let us be fair….with the dire financial position of the municipality many of the issues facing the residents of Newcastle cannot be addressed because there is no money to address them. So the next question should be: are officials so helpless and frustrated in the face of the financial crisis they ignore complaining residents because their hands are tied?
After so many articles in the Newcastle Advertiser covering the town’s financial woes, most residents are fully aware that relying on municipal officials to replace stolen fences around parks and fix potholes will result in disappointment.
Perhaps the time has come for residents to start thinking out the box. Perhaps we all need to take ownership of our town and brainstorm some innovative solutions, come together as concerned groups and create a platform for change. Let’s get our hands dirty so to speak. Let’s think of some community initiatives then ensure our local authorities such as municipal officials, councillors and the police participate and if they do not, then hold them accountable.
The backbone of any society can only be as strong as those who stand up for it. In the same vein, changes can only come if our community becomes united and firmly starts pressurizing the municipality and council to listen to our collective voice and do this in a peaceful, non-destructive manner.
Countless reference numbers, unanswered telephones, absent ward councillors are problems we all are forced to deal with but how much longer are we willing to wait before our town starts to crumble and die? Too dramatic? Take a look at other towns around Newcastle. Newcastle still has so much going for it. Even our youngsters are finding their way home and making lives for themselves here.
Driving change, however, starts with you as a proud Newcastle resident. I urge you to find your voice. Speak up for your rights and fight for answers. Never stop questioning those who should be held accountable. Join organisations committed to helping others, our town and /or the environment. Don’t sit on the sidelines waiting and watching others fix the problems. It’s time to act and action comes from conversation …. let’s talk!
