‘Mr President, accelerate service delivery!’

By Doreen Mokgolo

Residents of Ekurhuleni pleaded with President Cyril Ramaphosa today to push his cabinet ministers to accelerate service delivery in the metro’s townships.

Residents from various communities converged on Tsakani Stadium on Friday during the administration’s first presidential imbizo to submit their service-delivery grievances to Ramaphosa.

During the event, residents were given an opportunity to raise their grievances, and ministers responded and shared their plans and programmes to address service delivery.

The residents’ complaints ranged from the high unemployment rate, poor water connections, years of waiting for RDP houses, informal schools, ineffective police officers, crime, drugs, construction mafias and extortion.

Duduza resident Nonhlanhla Mabuza said they had been without water for a month, but on Thursday, water started coming out of their taps.

“It is funny how they were able to attend to the problem a day before the president’s visit,” she said.

“Since the week started, we have seen officials working hard to fix roads and street lights. This shows that government officials are dragging their feet.”

Pensioner Johanna Masuku pleaded with the president to address the challenge of drug addiction among young people.

“I am tired of living in fear in my own house. I have to hide everything – I even sleep with my shoes on to secure them.

“These children steal everything; they stole my false teeth and glasses to feed their addiction. Mr President, help us!”

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi committed to fighting the housing backlog. He said that in the future, the housing department will take the fingerprints of the beneficiaries of RDP houses to ensure that the correct applicants get the houses.

“We have a high backlog as far back as 1996 because some of the houses are occupied by the wrong owners. But we will be able to verify the beneficiary through fingerprints,” he said.

Ramaphosa said the imbizo was an important way for the government to interact with the people.

“Our key priorities are to grow the economy, create jobs and fight poverty, but to achieve this, we need strong municipalities.

“They are the engine rooms of development as they provide the services to our people,” he said.

Video: Pensioner Johanna Masuku pleads with the president to fight drugs in communities.

Pictured above: President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Source: Doreen Mokgolo