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Freedom Front Plus gears up for by-elections at Ditsobotla Local Municipality

Pieter Groenewald
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Campaigning is gaining momentum in the Lichtenburg-based Ditsobotla Local Municipality in the North West, ahead of the much-anticipated by-elections in December.

The municipal council was disbanded in September amid political infighting and service delivery challenges. Leader of the Freedom Front Plus, Dr Pieter Groenewald, took his campaign to Lichtenburg and encouraged residents to vote.

Service delivery remains a key issue in the Ditsobotla Local Municipality, especially in Coligny which rarely has water or electricity and where the roads are undrivable.  With the municipal council dissolved, political parties are promising change. Among them is the Freedom Front Plus which took its campaign to Lichtenburg on Saturday.

Party leader Dr Pieter Groenewald says the town is in a dismal state.

“If you enter, for instance, Lichtenberg, suddenly, you are confronted with potholes. if you look around the offices of the municipality, the bushes are standing there. It appears as if you are not in a town, but you are somewhere in the bush. If you look at how it looks around the City Hall, actually the vegetation took over. It is dirty. The rubbish is lying around.”

Groenewald says they are contesting the upcoming by-elections in all 20 wards.

“We are contesting all the wards. yes, it’s the whole municipality. so, we have the candidates, and we participate  in all the 20 wards that we have in Ditsobotla.”

Party supporters say residents are yearning for improved services.

“I think it’s really important. your vote does count. if you don’t wanna vote for change, there will be no change.”

“There are potholes. the roads are actually mud. and when you go to the municipality, all you see is bushes.”

“There are problems with water. there are problems with power. the roads are in a terrible state. services are being disrupted frequently at the municipality itself.”

The by-elections will take place on the 14th of December.

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