Residents of Ward 64 in Centurion have expressed strong appreciation for their councillor, Alta de Kock, praising her active involvement in the community and her consistent efforts to address local service delivery challenges.

The ward encompasses suburbs such as Rooihuiskraal, The Reeds, and Thatchfield.

This support follows a recent electricity outage on the night of June 9, which left several parts of the ward without power after a cable was damaged at the N14 bridge in Centurion.

Many residents woke up on June 10 still without electricity, leading to frustration as the outage extended into the morning.

Despite the disruption, De Kock was on-site early that day, working alongside municipal teams to assess the damage and co-ordinate repairs.

She remained at the location throughout the day, ensuring the damaged cable was replaced, and power was eventually restored later that night.

During the prolonged outage, tensions ran high among some residents, and De Kock faced frustration and occasional verbal abuse.

Reflecting on the incident, De Kock, who has served as a councillor since 2021, acknowledged the residents’ frustrations but explained that communication delays during outages are often beyond her control.

“As a councillor, I love my job. Helping people is very satisfying. However, I often receive vague updates from the electricity department during outages, which makes it difficult to provide residents with real-time information. I want to keep them informed, but I can’t always be on-site.”

She added that delays in receiving updates sometimes lead to residents becoming frustrated.

“I understand their feelings, but they shouldn’t be rude,” she said.

Despite these challenges, many residents have expressed gratitude for De Kock’s visible presence and hands-on approach.

Anneline Rodney, a resident of The Reeds, emphasised that the councillor’s efforts often go unrecognised.

“She is highly active and hands-on in her ward, but she doesn’t always get the credit she deserves. While service delivery issues can lead to criticism, there are many instances where De Kock is working tirelessly behind the scenes to resolve problems,” said Rodney.

Rodney referred to the June 10 outage as an example, noting that the councillor spent the entire day and evening on-site, engaging with teams and keeping residents informed as repairs progressed.

She also highlighted ongoing challenges in the ward, such as illegal dumping near the Mahlangu informal settlement and persistent smoke from the area.

According to Rodney, De Kock has been working for years to address these issues through continuous follow-ups with authorities.

Beyond infrastructure concerns, Rodney described her as deeply involved in community life.

She recalled how the councillor assisted residents in searching for her missing dog by sharing updates, co-ordinating communication, and encouraging community participation.

“Her accessibility is one of her strongest attributes. She is constantly in contact with residents through messaging groups, responds to complaints in real time, and often visits problem areas to assess issues firsthand. This level of involvement strengthens trust between residents and their elected representative.”

Another resident, Andre van Zyl, acknowledged the pressure councillors face during crises.

“It’s unfortunate that Alta has to deal with rude and frustrated people, even though she tries her best to help us,” he said.

“I believe that she handles people’s dissatisfaction well. She supports residents but can’t change their behaviour. I admire her for that.”

Van Zyl also noted that De Kock often sacrifices personal and family time to assist residents during service delivery issues.

“People think they own her, but that’s not true. She goes the extra mile to help. I hope people respect her efforts,” he added.

Willem Kilian, another resident, recalled a previous major outage caused by a fire at the Brakfontein substation.

He noted that De Kock was on-site from early morning until late at night, keeping residents informed throughout the crisis.

“She is often one of the first to arrive at a problem site and the last to leave,” he said.

Kilian added that her communication style has helped build trust in the ward.

“She provides regular updates, including both positive developments and setbacks, and offers estimated timelines for restoration when possible. This level of involvement has improved responsiveness because residents feel their concerns are taken seriously.”

Kilian praised the councillor’s work ethic, describing it as a strong example for public representatives, particularly at the grassroots level.

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