‘Officials should stop this unnecessary travelling and use that money to fix pools’: Gayton McKenzie

Patriot Alliance (PA) leader and Central Karoo district mayor Gayton McKenzie has called on officials to stop unnecessary travelling and use the money to provide services to residents.

McKenzie this week celebrated the opening of a municipal pool in Beaufort West, Western Cape. 

He said more pools could be fixed if officials stopped travelling unnecessarily and put the money to good use. 

“I look at the joy and bliss on the faces of the kids and I know we did the best thing by fixing the pools. The kids could have been roaming the streets but are swimming and teaching others to swim. Officials should stop this unnecessary travelling and use that money to fix pools,” McKenzie said.

The pool is among the projects the mayor vowed to fix when he took office earlier this year. 

Last week he provided an update on the community pool in Laingsburg that was shut down for eight years. 

“Today is 37ºC in Laingsburg. This pool has been like this for eight years. We will fix it for our children. Politics must be about the needs of the people and not slogans. We will post our progress,” said McKenzie. 

A pool in Merafong was also on the cards for repairs. 

“Carletonville swimming pool in Merafong is such a beautiful place and can be rescued from further damage. A kid in sports is a kid out of court. Let’s have sports gala events and functions here,” he said. 

McKenzie said PA members and councillors have been instructed to volunteer to fix pools in communities that are in a derelict state. 

“We are pleading with members of the community to form part of this initiative. Our kids should swim and stay out of the streets,” said McKenzie. 

“This is the pool in De Aar. I’m calling on all members of the Patriot Alliance to mobilise volunteers to fix it. Complaining about it will not fix it. It seems our leaders are not bothered. Let’s do it for our children.”

Many online called on McKenzie to look into building other entertainment facilities such as skate parks. 

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