Lekwa community is fed up with water shortages and power outages
Tsotetsi listed the accomplishments of the administration since taking office, which include installing a new electrical line for the Vodacom area, paying SARS an amount of R120m that clears the debt and appointing a municipal manager and heads of departments, among others.
The Lekwa Municipality came under siege on May 15 with a planned shutdown.
According to the hype, it was to be a people’s march where dissatisfaction with water tankers, the installation of smart meters, and road conditions were first and foremost on the minds of the protestors.
The ANC Lekwa sub-region organised the march from the Sakhile Stadium.
The spokesperson for the Lekwa Community Forum (LCF), Sello Tsotetsi, visited the Standerton Advertiser on May 10 to give their take on the shutdown.
The LCF holds the portfolios of executive mayor Louis Delani Thabethe and speaker Oliver Phiri in the council.
“We don’t support this shutdown at all,” Tsotetsi said.
“We have tried our best since being in office for one year and eight months. The ANC has caused damage for the past 27 years.”
Tsotetsi listed the accomplishments of the administration since taking office, which include installing a new electrical line for the Vodacom area, paving the road in Princess Street in the CBD, building a new reservoir for the Kieser Reservoir, paving Hlongwane Drive (4km), getting a new refuse removal truck, paying SARS an amount of R120m that clears the debt and appointing a municipal manager and heads of departments.
“We would also like to build a new electrical line for Rooikoppen and attend to the water crisis in Phalama, Crossroads and Ext 2,” Tsotetsi said.
“The community must not support the shutdown.”
According to him, the ANC councillors approved the installation of smart meters, and it is a project of the National Treasury, not the LCF.
A financial recovery plan, under the administration of Johann Mettler, was implemented, and the electricity losses were taken into account.
Tsotetsi mentioned the problems of bridging and bypassing electricity and supplied graphs of electricity use, Eskom invoicing and revenue billed from July 2021 to March this year.
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Distribution losses last March stood at 26%, while the figure was 31% for this March. The Eskom debt stands at R1.6b, and interest plays a crucial role in paying the outstanding amount.
“We understand the community is suffering, but call on locals to pay their accounts,” Tsotetsi added.
With nationwide load-shedding, companies in Standerton such as Seriti, Astral and Cofco have come on board to assist with backup generators.
According to Tsotetsi, Lekwa is investigating a solar system and engaging with other stakeholders.
The security would have been tight with a noticeable police presence on Mbonani Mayisela Street in front of the municipal building.
Alberto Franco, a DA councillor, said the ANC was protesting against their own failures.
“They expect the current administration to fix years of disaster, negligence and incompetence overnight. There is no quick fix.”
Wilma Venter, a Freedom Front Plus councillor, said they are against any shutdown, which could not be justified under any circumstances.
Tsotetsi concluded that they would deal with employees’ attitudes and cadre employment.
“The municipality is limping, but we will serve the community of Lekwa.”
