Ward 90 residents voice frustrations over broken services during public meeting
Frustrated by power cuts, water outages, and crumbling roads, Ward 90 residents gathered at the Bowman Building to speak directly to the leaders about restoring reliable services and building a stronger Johannesburg.
Residents of Ward 90 came together on November 12 at the Bowman Building in Sandton for a Democratic Alliance (DA) public meeting to discuss the challenges facing their communities and the future of Johannesburg.
Hosted by the DA Sandton Constituency, the meeting provided residents a rare opportunity to speak directly with the DA federal chair and Johannesburg mayoral candidate Helen Zille and Ward councillor candidate Renate van Onselen ahead of the Ward 90 by-election on November 26.
Read more: DA searches for candidate to fill Ward 90 vacancy
Community members voiced deep frustration over service delivery breakdowns, including power cuts, water outages, crumbling roads, and malfunctioning traffic lights, issues they said have been persistent for years.
Residents stressed that these problems make daily life unpredictable and affect both businesses and homes across the ward.
Responding to these concerns, Van Onselen, a qualified attorney and corporate governance professional, acknowledged the challenges but promised a hands-on and accountable approach.
Also read: Ward 90 residents band together and clean up the community
“I’ve spent nearly 30 years working in law, corporate governance, and compliance, and I feel it’s time to put those skills to work for Ward 90 residents. I’m new to politics, but I will make it my priority to be visible, accessible, and accountable, and to ensure that every resident’s needs are heard and addressed.”
Van Onselen highlighted her focus on bringing people together and representing all areas of Ward 90, from residential streets to major business hubs. “Everyone deserves fair attention, whether you’re a homeowner, a business owner, or a young professional,” she said.
Zille detailed the party’s priority areas, including stabilising 22 critically endangered water systems, repairing reservoirs, ensuring reliable electricity through new power-sharing schemes, and fixing potholes, traffic lights, and streetlights.
“The first step is to ring-fence finances for water, electricity, roads, and other critical services so that funds are spent where they’re meant to be,” she said.
She emphasised that proper maintenance and protection of these systems are essential to creating a city that works for everyone.
Addressing concerns about fairness, Zille said, “While wealthier areas must continue to have functioning services, the bulk of infrastructure spending must go to developing communities so that all residents can live with dignity.”
Follow us on our WhatsApp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok for the latest updates!
