Morgenzon residents are fighting a losing battle as the truck drivers take over the town and destroy their infrastructure.
According to Mr Deon van Daalen, the town is turning into a truck stop at night, with no law and order in sight.
He added that the drivers are destroying the infrastructure in town, and referred to a recent incident during which a truck driver crashed into a fence around a house in town.
The residents are fed up with the deteriorated state of their town.
Mr van Daalen said: “I am now taking statements of the complaints about the truck drivers and the state of our town.”
DA District councillor, Mr Muso Kubheka, said in a media statement that the trucks passing through the residential areas of Morgenzon pollute the air, causing coughing and breathing problems to the residents.
Mr Kubheka said: “Residents lodged a complaint with the DA that Lekwa Municipality neglected them and the infrastructure in the small town.
The air is filled with dust particles from the dusty roads and coal trucks that pass through residential areas to the nearby Majuba Power Station.
Truck drivers previously used the R30, R35 and R39 roads, but are now using residential roads, directly exposing the residents to dust pollution.
The lack of traffic officers to monitor the traffic flow in the residential areas is another concern of the residents.
According to Mr Kubheka, the DA reported this matter to Lekwa Municipality many times.
Mr Kubheka said: “If the municipality is currently not in a position to address the problem, the DA suggests they spray the streets with water every morning to minimise the dust pollution which health issues such as asthma, nasal allergies, bronchitis and many other pulmonary diseases.”
The National Environmental Management Air Quality Act 39 of 2004, requires that it is the municipality’s duty to protect residents to high levels of air pollution that might expose them to health hazards.
He added that the DA will approach the provincial MEC of Public Works, Roads and Transport, Mr Gillion Mashego, to intervene and help the residents of Morgenzon.
Mr Kubheka concluded: “Should the MEC fail to help, we will have no choice but to go to the Human Rights Commission as this is a matter of constitutional rights violation.”
The Highvelder send enquiries about the state of Morgenzon to Ms Thobeka Mtshiselwa, spokesman for Lekwa Municipality, but no response was received at the time of going to print.
