The member of parliament (MP) for the DA, Ms Angel Khanyile, has commented on both the traffic department in Standerton and the fire department.
As regards the first, Ms Khanyile said the situation at many Mpumalanga traffic department offices had sparked a crisis requiring urgent attention.
Her recent personal experience in Standerton showed that the offices trading hours, outside on a notice, were not adhered to.
“The systems are due to be updated, yet no action is being taken by the provincial government,” she added.
“The DA remains committed to working with government in finding solutions to give better services to the residents of South Africa.”
According to her, it is one the reasons she goes to government institutions as an ordinary member of the community to experience what people go through daily at the hands of government officials.
The Standerton Advertiser called Ms Khanyile on 16 January and she undertook to send the list of questions and answers, asked and replied to in parliament, to us.
National Assembly question number 1473 to the Minister of Transport was whether the Lekwa Licence and Traffic Department is fully operational and whether officials employed at his department, are still receiving their full salaries while his department is not fully operational.
The forthcoming reply was:
“The function of vehicle registration and licensing in terms of the Constitution resides with the respective Member of the Executive Council (MEC) in each province.
“The processes in terms of evaluation, registration and operation of Registering Authorities (RAs) Driving Licence Testing Centres (DLTCs) and Vehicle Testing Stations (VTSs) are further prescribed in the National Road Traffic Act, 1996 (Act no 93 of 1996).
“Lekwa Licence and Traffic Department (RA), responsible for inter alia motor vehicle registration and licensing, is not fully operational.
“All officials employed are receiving their full salaries including six officials that are currently suspended due to alleged involvement in fraud and corruption.
“Further details cannot be disclosed due to legal processes that are still underway or pending.
“Suspension of the officials rendered is not fully operational.”
The newspaper contacted Ms Thando Nkosi, standing in for the communications manager of the Lekwa Municipality, on Thursday, 16 January, enquiring whether the offices are now fully functional.
The answer was in the affirmative.
As regards the fire department, the Standerton Advertiser has given extensive coverage last year to fires in the community during which lives were lost and property damaged, in the absence of the fire department.
Ms Khanyile and Ms Sithi Silosini, the latter also from the DA, recently conducted an oversight at the fire department after getting a number of call regarding houses that were burnt to ashes.
The MP shared the visit on Facebook and posted that it was also to confirm whether personal protective equipment and two fire trucks are on hand.
Lekwa Municipality’s answers in parliament, according to her, contradicted the situation in town.
Mr Linda Dhlamini, mayor, said in a press briefing on 7 January that Standerton has at present one fire engine that is in for repairs, one engine being built, one hired and a skid unit to be put at the back of a bakkie for emergencies.
