An open letter to the Mayor

Can you please intervene on the following issues concerning Simunye …

1. Electricity

Could you please note that the pre-paid meter in my house is faulty. Whenever we want to load electricity it won’t allow us. The technician says there is a bad signal – as a result one must log a call with the municipality’s electrical department. Also remember that it takes time, even days, before a call can be attended to which results in us living in the cold, dark house without electricity and food as there is no electricity to cook. Is this what we voted for? To suffer like this?

Also note that these prepaid meters are not the right method because if you are an unemployed, old citizen, it means you are not going to have electricity, which results in you suffering forever in this region, even worse than we who are employed and do buy coupons but the faulty meters don’t allow us to recharge, and then we suffer too. Children are catching colds and flu and starving. Life is unbearable. This is unjust and unfair. Instead of making the lives of people better, you are making them unbearable.

We therefore suggest that it would be better if you remove these meters, for good. We suggest you change them and replace with new working meters like those in Mogale City and Randfontein.

It is things like this that cause law-abiding citizens to change course and take matters into their own hands by installing illegal connections. Let us be treated decently, with respect and dignity. By the way, we are paying for the services so we deserve to be treated that way. Give us a value-for-money service.

2. Could the Honourable Mayor look into the issue of helping the community of Simunye with a mobile police station for administrative issues like affidavits, certification and for police visibility in the area? Because as things stand now, we have to travel all the way to Bekkersdal and Westonaria. People who are not working can’t afford taxi fare every time, so please bring the services to the people. Police visibility would help curb crime and gang-related issues in the area. In short, bring the services back to the people.

3. More speed humps are needed. Children are being hit by negligent drivers and just last week, a taxi hit a child one morning as the child was walking to school. It was a hit-and-run situation. I believe the child is still in hospital.

4. Empowerment to employment. The youth especially are into drugs like nyaope, and crime and alcohol. If you engage them they say the problem is unemployment. Can’t you help them find employment, or at least help them form cooperatives and SMMEs, and become entrepreneurs? They don’t have to throw away their lives on drugs, gangs, crimes, alcohol and sex. With your help they can realise their potential and be self-employed.

I trust the above reaches you in order, and God bless you.