Severe municipal service breakdowns across Mamelodi have taken centre stage as residents prepare to head to the voting stations on November 4.

Water shortages, neglected electricity substations and unmaintained streets are among the primary grievances raised by community members.

Illegal dumping threatens HM Pitje Stadium

The chairperson of the Impilo-0720 Tennis Club, Sizwe Radebe, said an illegal dumping site at HM Pitje Stadium, situated near the main entrance of their tennis facility, is putting their health in danger.

“We have children aged seven to 16 who play tennis at our facility, and they are forced to inhale and walk past rotten food, nappies, building rubble, and broken bottles daily to get to practice,” Radebe said.

“This is a health hazard, a safety risk for our children, especially girls, and a shame to the name of HM Pitje Stadium.”

He called on local government to clean the area more regularly or speed up the process of building a new stadium.

“If the stadium is left like this, illegal dumping will continue,” Radebe said.

He added that service delivery starts with children.

Dark streets leave residents vulnerable

Zoey Mabaso, a resident from Mamelodi West, described the streetlight situation in Mamelodi as a nightmare.

“Streetlights in Mamelodi have not been working for years, and many areas are dark, which leaves people feeling vulnerable, especially at night,” Mabaso said.

She added that some residents fear reporting problems because they worry about becoming targets.

“We need basic services like working streetlights because they are directly linked to our safety,” she said.

Water scarcity highlights infrastructure decay

Kate Kekana, from the Thandanani Drop Inn Centre, said water shortages, continuous power cuts and abandoned buildings in the area needed to be addressed.

She said Mamelodi is a beautiful township with great potential, but requires leaders who have the right mindset and genuine care for the community.

Kekana noted that Mamelodi experiences a high influx of migrants and people moving from other provinces.

She said this migration has negatively impacted local service delivery, particularly water and electricity supply.

“The scarcity of water and electricity issues, such as disrupted substations, may stem from a lack of maintenance,” Kekana said.

“Local government should also look at abandoned buildings that can be occupied as places where the youth can learn skills.”

Power cuts cause financial losses

Thabiso Nkambule, from Mamelodi West, said his area was plagued by continuous power outages.

He said residents rely heavily on electricity for daily living, making ongoing power cuts overwhelming.

“Power is only restored two or three days later, during which food spoils, electrical appliances get damaged, and we suffer financial losses because we are forced to survive on takeaway food,” Nkambule said.

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