Phatwane residents: no tar roads, no vote

LIMPOPO – Residents of Phetwane village have threatened not to partake in this year’s local government elections if the Ephraim Mogale Municipality does not install Apollo lights and upgrade the gravel road into a tar road.

Residents recently marched to the municipal offices and told officers they would make the area ungovernable if their demands were not met.

According to Aubrey Mashiloane, Phetwane Youth Development Forum leader, the municipality promised years ago they would tar the road linking the area and Mogolatjane village, but nothing had been done to date.

Instead they tarred the access roads in Mogalatjane last year, between January and June. When we asked them they had not tarred our roads as promised, they said the current budget did not allow for that.

The poor conditions of roads in the village have a negative impact on residents as it caused the unavailability of transport.

“Buses and taxis are not readily available here. We have to travel long distances to access transport to towns and other places. These all because of the poor state in which the roads are,” added Mashiloane.

He further said a lack of high mass-lights was also a problem for the villagers as criminals took advantage of the dark to steal their livestock.

“We were also promised that high mass-lights would be installed in the village, but to our surprise, the project was taken to the nearby Letebetjane village. If our demands are not met, we will not participate in the local government elections, because we are not seen as people,” concluded Mashilaone.

Municipal spokesperson, Jan Phasha, said the municipality had received the memorandum and would look into the matter.