Angry and frustrated community members from areas serviced by the embattled Madibeng municipality in Brits, North West, together with concerned ANC members and other opposition party members, staged a no-entry/no-exit protest at the municipality’s doors on Monday to raise several governance and service delivery issues.
This follows reports that the residents of Maboloka, Madidi and Jericho have been without water for more than two weeks.
According to the single whip of council, Peter Padi, the municipality has been neglected by the municipal manager (MM), Quiet Kgatla, and the mayor, Douglas Maimane, and residents are calling for their removal.
“The people of the Madibeng [area] have heard enough of the neglect and no service delivery from the municipality; trust is lost,” Padi said.
Padi said no one would be moving from the doors, and the protesters could stay there all day until the municipality provided answers.
Among the concerns raised, they are calling for the report on IT companies involving Maimane to be tabled at the council.
They are also calling for a review of appointment processes and accuse the mayor of nepotism.
“The report of the audit committee, the financial disciplinary board and the MMS report must be tabled in council as well. They will expose the nepotism and unlawful appointments in the municipality,” Padi said.
ANC councillor Lucas Motaung on January 19 wrote a direct, formal complaint letter to Kgatla, warning of administrative failures and alleged misconduct that are affecting public trust and undermining the party’s standing on the ground.
Motaung told TimesLIVE he has not received a response from Kgatla regarding the complaints.
“This shows they do not listen to residents, neglect the communities, and, while we hope they respond today, we are not going anywhere,” Motaung said.
Save SA spokesperson Sydney Monnakgotla said it was a relief that the people of Madibeng were finally standing their ground and calling for accountability.
“The people are tired of empty promises. The MM and mayor must be accountable for their actions to this municipality and its people,” Monnakgotla said.
The municipality’s spokesperson, Tumelo Tshabalala, had not responded to questions at the time of publication. The story will be updated with their comment when received.
TimesLIVE
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