LETTER: Is Rand West City doing enough to earn your vote?

• Resident Tanya Venter writes:

With just over three months to go until South Africans head to the polls in the municipal elections, political competition is intensifying.

As with any sport – whether recreational or professional – there is often a last-minute push to perform better, faster and more efficiently. Elections are no different; only the players are better paid and arguably less fit.

On May 26, political parties were asked to show residents why they deserved their vote. Since then, residents across Rand West City Local Municipality (RWCLM) have noticed some improvement in service delivery. While not substantial, there has been enough progress to suggest that the municipality has started to respond. It may not be the answer residents were hoping for, but at least there has been movement.

Then, on June 30, residents were encouraged to consider how they wanted RWCLM to be perceived by outsiders and what changes they hoped to see after the elections. Since then, there has been a ‘name and shame’ pothole campaign, along with noticeable improvements in service delivery. More efficient communication via WhatsApp regarding power outages and area clean-ups has also been observed in parts of Westonaria.

This raises several questions for the municipality and for election candidates who have, quite suddenly, become very visible:

• What happened during the past four years? Where was all this energy?
• What happened to the annual budgets that are allocated every year, but which now seem to have become readily available for this short-term burst of activity?
• How will the municipality address the long-term water restrictions imposed by Rand Water due to non-payment? Depending on who you ask in community WhatsApp groups, this has been an ongoing issue for three, four or even five years
• When will the municipality begin taking firm action against accounts that remain unpaid? Should residents who refuse to pay simply have their services disconnected? Or are some residents, like taxi operators, often perceived to be effectively exempt from paying because of Black Economic Empowerment?
• Why do rapid response teams appear to be deployed mainly to areas represented by the ruling party, while other areas within the Government of National Unity receive less attention?

So, how much is enough to convince residents that a political party deserves their vote? Or does this recent activity simply suggest that RWCLM has lost its way, creating an opportunity for parties with little knowledge of the municipality and its unique challenges to gain support?

Most importantly, have residents now seen enough to cast an informed vote on November 4?

RWCLM spokesperson Phillip Montshiwa responds:

Regarding service delivery, despite experiencing challenges such as organised cable theft, sewer spills and potholes, the municipality has continued to deliver essential services to communities. Although these remain significant challenges, they are addressed as they arise.

The mayor’s swift actions are aimed at resolving service delivery backlogs and are not influenced by the approaching elections. This community-focused programme is a municipal initiative driven by the institution’s commitment to addressing service delivery backlogs.

In addition, Rand Water’s maintenance activities have had an impact on water supply. Residents are promptly informed of planned interruptions, and water tankers are provided where necessary.

The municipality remains committed to fulfilling its obligation to deliver services to communities, rather than focusing on party politics and will continue prioritising the needs of residents.