Councillor and resident clash over service delivery
After months of fighting for a streetlight to be fixed in Kareeboom Street, a Sundowner resident claims his number was blocked the ward councillor.
David Strachan, a resident in Sundowner, voiced frustration after having to wait over five months for a streetlight on Kareeboom Street to be fixed. This comes after multiple complaints were allegedly ignored by officials, and he was even blocked by his ward councillor.
He first reported the streetlight on January 16, when he noticed the exposed wires and feared for pedestrians and children’s safety. He then logged a follow-up complaint in June after no progress was made.
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Strachan then sent emails to Ward 134 councillor Devon Steenkamp, along with other officials. Strachan said he received no communication, despite his many attempts. “Why does no one care anymore?” he wrote. “What if a child touches those wires?”
He also claimed that Steenkamp blocked him on WhatsApp, and that his emails are now bouncing back.
Steenkamp confirmed that the light was indeed fixed, but denied ever blocking Strachan’s emails. “Strachan’s claim that his emails have been blocked is false. However, I did take the step of blocking his number on WhatsApp, and for direct phone calls, due to his repeated abuse. In one instance, he sent 38 phone calls within 50 minutes and directed a WhatsApp message, with deeply offensive language, towards me.”
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Strachan confirmed that he did make multiple phone calls. “I did phone quite a number of times. I wanted to get things sorted out, because he had been ignoring me, even though I had been sending reference numbers”
Regarding the delay in the streetlight being fixed, Steenkamp said: “It remains unclear what specifically caused the delay from City Power in addressing the streetlight issue, however, I can confirm that there is no breakdown in communication between my office and City Power.
“I am accessible and proactive in keeping residents informed about council-related matters. What must be understood is that ward councillors are not responsible for direct service delivery. We escalate issues and hold the administration accountable. While I am always open to constructive feedback, abuse and harassment will never be an acceptable form of engagement,” Steenkamp concluded.
* Editor’s Note:
A previous version of this article was removed to allow adequate right of reply to Ward 134 Councillor Devon Steenkamp. We’ve now updated the story to include his comments. Randburg Sun apologises to Steenkamp and our readers for this oversight.
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