The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and Democratic Alliance (DA) in Mpumalanga says poor planning and lack of proper monitoring are the main causes for the failure to deliver basic services to communities by the City of Mbombela. The two parties engaged with the community during the Ligwalagwala Current affairs Outside Broadcast held in Mshadza near Hazyview.
The communities in the northern parts of Mbombela have been experiencing the shortage of water forcing the municipality to provider water by using water tankers, which the residents claim that it is not suitable for human consumption.
Meanwhile the Hoxane Water Treatment Plant, which is supposed to be supplying water to communities around the area stands as a white elephant. EFF Councillor Lucky Maseko explains.
“Around 2011 we were told that the plant is going to assist mainly the City of Mbombela then it came out that there were issues around Mbombela and Bushbuckridge. You see it shouldn’t be a problem for the city of Mbombela to be able to reach an agreement. We were told when we went there as an MPAC that it is going to cost around 24 million to get that plant running,” explains Maseko.
Provision of services has collapsed
The African National Congress (ANC) in Mpumalanga says it will take major steps against all municipalities that are failing to deliver services to communities. This decision comes after a two-day provincial Lekgotla where the state of municipalities was discussed.
The party says the provision of services has collapsed in municipalities forcing communities to embark on protests.
A series of protest actions are experienced almost every week in the province, with residents demanding basic services such as water and proper roads. Community members are not happy with the way some municipalities provide services, while some say there is no service delivery at all.
The ANC in the province is marred with factions ahead of the elective conference. Branches of the party have not launched campaigns and decided who should lead the provincial structure.
However, the party says all their members have been taught and given guidelines of how people should campaign for positions.
In this video below Mpumalanga Municipal employee accused of corruption and nepotism:
