By: Jane Sithole MPL, DA Mpumalanga Premier Candidate
The Democratic Alliance (DA) today marched to deliver a memorandum of demand to Mkhondo Municipal Manager, Mr Maqhawe Kunene and Executive Mayor, Cllr Vusi Motha, calling for the speedy delivery of services in this forgotten municipality.
Over the past 10 years, the town of Amsterdam and its surrounding areas, have deteriorated rapidly under the leadership of the failing ANC-led government.
Many households have been left to fend for themselves without basic services such as water, sanitation, housing and electricity. Currently, 4 319 households do not have access to water and 8 394 households do not have access to decent sanitation facilities.
With a poverty headcount of 11.9%, Mkhondo is one of the poorest municipalities in the province. It is therefore vital that the delivery of services be prioritised to alleviate the struggle that thousands go through in order to survive.
The failing ANC’s neglect in Mkhondo has resulted in the following;
- An increase in the amount of people living in shacks or informal settlements increased between 2011 and 2016. Despite this, RDP fraud in the municipality remains high.
- Scarce job opportunities that increase the discrimination and exploitation of women and people living with disabilities.
- High levels of crime due to undertrained and under resourced police
- Poor sanitation facilities as many pit toilets are full and the municipality does not have the equipment to empty these toilets. In addition, where there are flush toilets sewage spills occur regularly.
- Poor state of roads as tarred roads are severely dilapidated and riddled with potholes while gravel roads need to be graded.
- No action being taken when water leaks are reported.
The life that the people of Mkhondo have been subjected to is nowhere close to the vision Nelson Mandela had for the people of South Africa.
Under the leadership of the failing ANC in Mpumalanga, life will not get better because Premier Refilwe Mtsweni has made no commitment to improving the conditions in Mkhondo, she is merely a different driver of the same broken vehicle used by former Premier DD Mabuza to rob the people of Mpumalanga of the promised better life.
In our commitment to ensure the speedy delivery of services and build One South Africa For All, these are some of the demands that we have made to the Mayor and Municipal Manager;
- A sound plan to stimulate economic growth in Mkhondo so that the people can have fair access to jobs;
- Empower women and those living with disabilities to end their exploitation and the prevalence of sex-for-jobs predators;
- Action to be taken in order to deal with the rampant RDP fraud so legitimate beneficiaries can access their rightful housing, including an RDP housing audit;
- That the people of Amsterdam have access to decent sanitation facilities and water – a basic human right;
- Property evaluation issues be settled, finalized and that feedback be given;
- Urgent action taken to address the state of roads in Mkhondo.
The people of Mkhondo need change now! Only a DA-led government can deliver a province where every citizen has access to fast and effective service delivery under a government that stops corruption and works for its people.
