State of the Capital debate: Tshwane opposition parties, coalition partner unhappy about service delivery
With growing informal settlements in the region, Williams said the municipality would plead with the national and provincial governments for funding for human settlements because “there is no funding”.
Tshwane opposition parties, including a coalition partner, voiced their unhappiness about service delivery in Tshwane, saying it was in a “deteriorating state”.
“As we speak, the townships are in a horrible state,” said ANC councillor Malisela Rakabe.
“Potholes are a permanent feature in and around the metro. Even in the east of Pretoria, potholes are now decorating the scenery.”
The councillors were detailing their views in a response council meeting held last week after the mayor’s recent State of the Capital Address.
Rakabe said there was a systematic vandalising of municipality power substations.
This, he claimed, was a result of the removal of the TMPD from guarding stations.
His claim was refuted by mayor Randall Williams who said that only security guards provided services to the stations. Last year, several substations experienced fire outbreaks within months apart.
I’ve been saying how @CityTshwane does not take it’s residents’ pleas for service delivery seriously 💔💔💔 This is such a dangerous hazard for our community.
PLEASE BE CAUTIOUS: Cnr. Talbot & Coke street Westpark. pic.twitter.com/OKxYB25wY3
— 𝓜𝓶𝓪𝓜𝓷𝓲𝓼𝓲 🧚🏾♀️ (@PotseBaby) April 27, 2022
The likes of the ANC, EFF, ATM and even the DA’s coalition partner, the ACDP, accused the administration led by Williams of prioritising affluent areas such as Mooikloof and Wapadrand.
Tshwane EFF leader Obakeng Ramabodu said the decision by the metro to outsource workers providing security and cleaning services was their coalition partner, ActionSA’s “betrayal” of voters.
“They won with a ticket of in-sourcing, but they are quiet now.”
Williams was not only criticised by the opposition benches, but also by ACDP councillor Ronald Morake.
“Either you are being fed false information about the state of our townships or you are in denial,” Morake told Williams.
Morake said power supply problems in Lotus Gardens were being “ignored”.
“I’ve indicated many times the issue of cable theft. During the Easter weekend, the cable has been replaced five times.
“I’ve asked what the cost of the replacement of the cables is. This might have cost the municipality about R4-million in a month. Even now as I speak, there are no lights. This is corruption at its best,” Morake said.
He said there was no political will to deal with the problems of poor communities.
“This tells me that the mayor has no foresight and does not care about our townships.”
ATM councillor Mncedi Ndzwanana said the municipality’s economic development plans were only aimed at affluent areas.
“Williams says he has fixed more than 1 000 potholes but the evidence reveals a different story. Places like Olievenhoutbosch are full of potholes.”
ANC chief whip Aaron Maluleka said the municipality’s financial state was “dire.”
“Banks are looking away,” he said.
“They do not want to associate with the metro because of its financial situation. Our capital city is dead when it comes to tourism.”
ANC councillors raised the issue of pit toilets being used in informal settlements in parts of the metro as a lack of service delivery.
Randall Williams said a few criticisms were substantial but that most parties’ comments were “wild allegations”.
“Claims we have abandoned the indigent programme are false as we currently have more than 42 000 families on the indigent programme,” Williams said.
“The EFF wants us to in-source workers even though the salary bill of the metro makes up to 50% of the operating budget despite that we have a 36% vacancy rate.
“If we in-source everybody, the salary bill would make up to 80% of the operating budget. There would be no money for [anything else].”
With growing informal settlements in the region, Williams said the municipality would plead with the national and provincial governments for funding for human settlements because “there is no funding”.
In response to the state of roads in parts of Tshwane, Williams said: “There are very few roads built in the northern parts of Tshwane. There has been no investment in the northern parts even after 1994. So it is time we get the money in the metro so we can invest in underdeveloped areas.”
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