New year, same old problems for residents of Sinoville

Residents of Ward 50, which covers Sinoville, Annlin, and Wonderboom areas, are reaching breaking point in the face of ongoing service delivery failures.

The residents say their neighbourhoods are in a state of neglect due to the lack of adequate service delivery.

Led by their ward councillor, Lenise Breytenbach, the community is calling on authorities to take immediate action to address critical issues affecting their quality of life.

They highlighted the many problems plaguing the ward, including persistent water leaks, malfunctioning street lights, and the decay of parks and open spaces.

Breytenbach said these have been reported multiple times, yet remain unresolved or are temporarily fixed, only to recur soon after.

She said one of the most pressing concerns is the recurring water leaks throughout the area.

“Despite repeated reports and reference numbers issued, repairs are often inadequate, with some leaks being fixed seven to eight times before breaking again.”

According to Breytenbach, this is due to the use of substandard equipment and tools, leading to a cycle of inefficiency and waste.

In addition to water issues, faulty streetlights are a growing frustration for residents. Breytenbach described how lights are fixed temporarily, only to malfunction again within days.

This repeated failure has left many residents in darkness, posing a safety risk to both pedestrians and drivers.

“The lack of effective maintenance is a serious concern, and it is not only frustrating for the community but dangerous as well.

The state of public parks and open spaces in Ward 50 is another major point of contention, grass cutting has been inconsistent, leaving parks overgrown and littered.
Parsley Park, once a place for families to relax, has become a dumping site, contributing to rodent infestations and criminal activity,” said Breytenbach.

She noted that cable strips have been discovered in the area, indicating the presence of illegal activities.

“Our parks are now a health hazard and a magnet for criminals.”

Residents are united in their demand for better service delivery.

“It’s unacceptable that the residents of Ward 50 are left to deal with these ongoing issues without a proper solution. We are not asking for special treatment, only services we are entitled to.”

Breytenbach is calling on local authorities and relevant departments to take immediate and effective action to address these critical service delivery failures.

She urged them to allocate the necessary resources to repair water leaks and streetlights properly, and to restore the parks to their intended purpose as safe, recreational spaces for families.

As the community heads into 2025, Breytenbach said the residents of Ward 50 are prepared to hold the authorities accountable.

“This year, the residents will be driving service delivery. We will not stop until we see real change, because after all, we are paying for it,” she concluded.

Local Thereze Vorster said people sleeping in parks are a major concern for them currently.

“Sidewalks are not maintained, streetlights continue to be a huge problem and when you report it, they take so long to come and fix the problem.

We’ve had streetlights in our streets that burned for more than a week throughout the day after being fixed. We need streetlights to function because criminals watch us in the dark and see the kind of cars we are driving and we become targets,” said Vorster.

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Jaco Venter said water leaks are a huge problem in the area and these challenges keep on growing daily.

Mariaan Meyer said when they report a water leakage, they wait for days before it can be attended to

“When they eventually come to ‘fix’ it, it only lasts a couple of days and then it starts leaking again. Then we have to repeat the whole process.

Inevitably you wonder if there is maybe not sabotage involved. Yet we as taxpayers must save water and were put on water restrictions, but thousands of litres of water are going to waste with their lack of interest to fix it,” said Meyer.

She said at times, workers will leave an hole open after fixing something, which poses a risk to motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.

“It has become a nightmare and so frustrated to get service delivery from them.”

The situation in Ward 50 is now at crisis point, and the residents are determined to ensure their voices are heard as they fight for a cleaner, and more functional community.

Also read: Motorists and residents exasperated by trolley pushers

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