Fiery political debate
Are the municipal elections on 3 August the answer to better service delivery? That is the question raised after the public debate between six political parties last Friday at the Mogalakwena Municipality.
MOKOPANE – In the last two years’ residents of Mogalakwena have voiced their disappointment with service delivery by the municipality on numerous occasions and the municipality have been in the news regularly for all the wrong reasons.
What is the root of evil causing these problems? As Solly Malatsi form the DA asked Mayor Parks Sebatjane (ANC) what happened with the investigations into the R5 million that went missing only twee weeks after he was employed, members of the EFF started shouting, ‘Pay back the money.’
Sebatjane said, “We have recovered an amount and the investigations have reaped fruit. The information is available to share with anyone that is interested.”
Jossey Buthane from the EFF stated with confidence: “If you look at the members present you will see the picture of your previous oppressors in blue, your current oppressors in yellow and your future leaders in red.”
When the question, what is the reason for the economical misfortune of the municipality, was raised, Malatsi said, “One of the major contributions to the political instability within the municipality is the fact that politicians are acting as administrators and civil servants are acting as politicians. We believe that the local government is the face of service delivery.”
Matlatso Selome from the UDM said the community of Mogalakwena have been the victims of this ongoing struggle within the municipality since 2011.
Jabu Mashamaite, Chairperson of the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) stated: “The opportunists in political circles should not take advantage of the turmoil spoken of in the Mogalakwena area.”
“The mayor and the ANC led council is not failing. It was only a struggle of the workers fighting for what is duly theirs.”
To which mayor Sebatjane said: “Our primary focus is the delivery of service to the communities. At the moment, 80% is rural and we only collect income from 20% of the area. When that 20% starts to increase, we can start looking into compensating the workers.”
With the various parties campaigning vigorously at the moment, one can only hope that all of them keep to their promises once the election season has passed.
redaksie.bosvelder@nmgroup.co.za
