Eendracht community accuses municipality of neglect over lack of basic services
Residents are calling on Govan Mbeki Municipality to provide clear timelines for addressing the sanitation, waste collection, water, electricity, infrastructure and library concerns.
Residents of Eendracht in Leandra, commonly referred to as Ward 1, claim to have endured poor and inconsistent service delivery for more than a decade.
Community member Doctor Mkhize said residents were frustrated by what he described as a persistent failure by the municipality to address basic service-delivery challenges in the area.
“It is with deepest concern that to date all asbestos materials were regarded as harmful to humans, yet we still drink water through life-endangering infrastructure,” said Mkhize.
He said the community continued to experience inadequate sanitation, waste collection and water infrastructure, among other challenges.
According to Mkhize, the municipal sewer truck has not been regularly servicing the area to empty septic tanks, resulting in some tanks overflowing and creating what he described as a serious health and safety risk.
“This is our daily inhuman condition we live under, for a decade and a half, with persistent undelivered services,” he said.
Mkhize also raised concerns about waste collection, saying some residents have resorted to placing garbage on their roofs while others allegedly dispose of waste illegally because the designated disposal areas are located far from residential areas.
He said the lack of regular waste removal has also contributed to the burning of rubbish and rubble in the community, with fires posing an additional risk to residents.
“Some community members have decided to hang their own garbage on top of their roofs. We are unsure how much illegal dumping takes place. Worse of all, fires erupt from rubble being burned by other community members because taking garbage out is quite far from the residential areas, about five kilometres away,” he said.
Mkhize further alleged that blasting and ground movement had damaged some septic tanks, ablution facilities, perimeter walls and fences, leaving households with cracks and structural damage.
He said residents had repeatedly raised their concerns with the municipality but had not received satisfactory assistance.
“We need to see how we can restore ablution facilities that have fallen into a state of disrepair due to ground movement and cracks caused by blasting,” he said.
Mkhize also expressed concern about ongoing construction work in the area, alleging that rubble and waste had been left piled up while water leaks continued. He claimed that electrical poles had also been affected, resulting in interruptions to the electricity supply.
According to Mkhize, these power disruptions have affected learners who need electricity to study, particularly in households where parents are already struggling with other responsibilities.
Another concern raised by residents is the operation of the local library. Mkhize said the library’s inconsistent opening hours had deprived residents, particularly learners, of a quiet environment in which to study.
“A constant closure of the library is another area where we feel hard done by. We need a place where we can have a quiet environment to study, but there are no constant and confirmed operating hours,” he said.
Residents are now calling on Govan Mbeki Municipality to intervene and provide clear timelines for addressing the sanitation, waste collection, water, electricity, infrastructure and library concerns.
Donald Green, Media Liaison and Content Development Officer said the Municipality acknowledges concerns raised by residents of Eendracht and surrounding communities regarding service delivery and infrastructure and the municipality continues to provide services and implement programmes in Eendracht, Leandra, Lebohang, Leslie and surrounding areas, covering Wards 1, 2, 3 and 6.
Green said the key interventions include water and sanitation services, septic-tank servicing, road maintenance and patching, regravelling of roads, human settlements and recreational facilities and Septic tanks are serviced once a month.
“Residents whose tanks are not serviced as scheduled or who experience urgent sanitation problems, are encouraged to report these matters to their ward councillors for referral to the relevant municipal departments.
The municipality recognises that reliable water, sanitation, roads and other infrastructure are essential to community well-being.
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We will continue addressing reported service-delivery challenges within available resources, approved programmes and municipal priorities,” said Green.
Green said Ward councillors remain an important link between communities and the municipality. He said residents are encouraged to report unresolved service-delivery problems through their ward councillors and the appropriate municipal channels so that complaints can be recorded, referred and followed up.
“The municipality also highlights the importance of revenue collection in sustaining service delivery.
Low payment levels in the affected areas place additional financial pressure on the municipality and can affect its ability to maintain infrastructure and respond to community needs.
Residents are therefore encouraged to pay their municipal accounts and remain up to date with service payments,” said Green.
Green said the municipality remains committed to improving service delivery across Wards 1, 2, 3 and 6 and calls for continued cooperation between residents, ward councillors and municipal officials.
“Improved reporting, cooperation and revenue collection will assist the municipality in strengthening its response to community needs and maintaining municipal infrastructure,” said Green.
