Some businessmen and -women did not take kindly to Lekwa Community Forum’s letter about a stay-away and total shutdown of Standerton on 14 September and 15 September.
Update: 15 September 7am – All roads around town are safe for travel. Information has just been received that roads around town are safe for travel.
The letter cited service delivery issues such as electricity interruptions, communities without water, houses burnt down with lives lost as a result, refuse not collected, potholes and sewage spills as a call for the above.
According to the forum, there has been a total collapse of service delivery.
They furthermore said the transport system will not be operational and workers will not be able to go to work.
According to them, they want to draw attention on national level for intervention.
The community was also warned that the streets will be dangerous and safety of locals could not be guaranteed.
The document said however, that the community has decided on this course of action.
Ms Barbara Sheppard, a businesswoman in town, disagreed with the last statement, saying on Friday, 11 September that nobody was consulted. “It is unlawful,” she added.
The caucus leader of the DA, Mr Rosier de Ville, said on the same day that so many days have been lost due to the pandemic and that employment opportunities must now be a priority.
Mr De Ville emphasised that the situation should now be normalised with a view to better human relationships and the future of the town.
Mr Ferdie Weyers from Maximed Pharmacy said on Saturday, 12 September that a regime-change is needed as soon as possible.He also said the impact on businesses from especially Sakhile-commuters, with roads that will be closed, will be felt. Mr Weyers opted for staying open as did other businesses.
The community had a meeting at the Sakhile Stadium on 13 September and Mr Louis Thabethe, organiser of a peaceful community protest on 17 August, said the shutdown is to pressurise government to deal with service delivery issues.
He added that there will be no march, looting or burning of public property.
A memorandum was handed over to the Speaker of the Gert Sibande District Municipality, Ms Busisiwe Sikhonde, in August to forward the document to the offices of the President, the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Ms Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, and the Minister of Housing, Water and Sanitation, Ms Lindiwe Sisulu.
Points that were mentioned in the memorandum are the rights to life, to have an environment that is not harmful to health and well-being, to have access to sufficient food and water, to have access to adequate housing and to have the environment protected for the benefit of present and future generations, through reasonable legislative and other measures that prevent pollution and ecological degradation.
A time-frame of seven days was given for a response, but no response was received.
“We only want a better town, clean streets, no potholes, functioning robots, clean and reliable water, efficient electricity 24/7, no Lekwa load shedding, repair of all sewer networks to prevent spillages, closing of all water leaks, a town that can be invested in and an accountable municipality,” Mr Thabethe also said.
“This shutdown of Lekwa is not an attack on businesses in town, but rather a call to national government to intervene and save this once glorious town.”
An appeal was made to businesses to rather sacrifice the two days before Standerton is a complete ghost town.
He is of the opinion that the municipality should be placed under administration.
Some customers were served behind barred windows on Monday, 14 September.
The Standerton Advertiser contacted Ms Yasmeen Mohamed, manager of the West-circuit of the Department of Education, on Monday, 14 September.
Ms Mohamed said a decision has been taken to close the schools on 14 September in view of the safety of the learners and staff.
“We will reassess the situation for Tuesday,” she added.
The newspaper was unable to get feedback from the manager of the East-circuit as regards their decision.
