Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) Mayor Hassan Mako has acknowledged shortcomings in service delivery, citing the urgent need for action to address pertinent issues plaguing the community.

Addressing scores of frustrated residents at the Mafatsane Community Hall on July 29 during an Imbizo, Mako said that he would be working with various government departments. He identified the eradication of illegal dumping sites, ensuring business compliance even among foreign nationals, and enforcing proper labour law practices across the board as some of his key priorities.

Speaking to the Department of Environment MEC Ewan Botha, Mako asked for intervention to clean parts of the Vaal Triangle plagued by illegal dumping as well as solutions for where a large part of the waste would be taken. Botha seemed to agree in helping to solve the waste crisis.

Furthermore, Mako called for more action from law enforcement, adding that more operations are needed to ensure compliance across the board.

“Working together with the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), I hope in the coming weeks we will be able to conduct operations in towns where we will check compliance, that fair labour practice is being implemented as well as the food that is being sold to our people.”

Talking about sewer, Mako encouraged the team from Metsi-a-Lekoa to be open with community members while assisting them. He advised them to alert customers whether their problems would get immediate solutions or their problems would be solved through long-term projects.

Mako’s address followed multiple complaints from scores of residents who had come from all over the Vaal to speak out about the lack of service delivery.

“We live in dirt, and our yards are riddled with sewage. We want you to put yourselves in our shoes,” residents said to the various officials who had attended the Imbizo.