Hundreds of Kimberley residents and its surrounding towns have marched to the offices of Premier Dr Zamani Saul in protest over poor service delivery by the Kimberley-based Sol Plaatje Municipality.
The residents accuse the municipality of failing to resolve basic service delivery issues such as the current citywide water shutdown and poor road infrastructure.
Although a R500-million infrastructure investment plan was announced for the municipality last week, the residents insist that they don’t trust the municipality to fulfil its obligations.
“We are going to stand together and fight for the rights of the people in our communities because the leaders that we are voting for are not doing it. They are failing us. So if politics doesn’t work, let the people on the ground do the work.”
“It’s like we are animals. We don’t belong anywhere. Today it looks like a dump site.”
Premier commits to take action
Meanwhile, the Premier says action will be taken against officials in the Kimberley-based Sol Plaatjie Municipality who failed to carry out their duties.
He says he blames sabotage for the current service delivery problems including the ongoing water supply crisis.
“Not having water for three days in a big city like this is absolutely criminal. Something that must be investigated and those who are responsible must be held to account. We can’t tolerate this. This anger is justified.”
Sol Plaatje Municipality residents frustrated by lack of service delivery:
