22 August 2006

By Clifford Mogotsi

THE legendary chorus "Wathint' abafazi wathint' imbokodo" rang out during an imbizo in Sinqobile township, where women from the community had the opportunity to talk to the Gauteng premier and Mogale City executive mayor.

The imbizo, held on 17 August, marks Women's Month.

Issues raised included the need for a multipurpose community centre and floodlights in the area. Other topics covered housing, electricity, water and sanitation, clinics and crime in areas like Sinqobile, Tudor Shaft, Withuise, and Boiketlo.

"Mogale City is one of the strongest municipalities in Gauteng," the premier, Mbhazima Shilowa, said.

The City's executive mayor, Koketso Calvin Seerane, urged residents to "tell the leaders" what they want the municipality to do for them. "We think it is important that, since you have elected us, you need to come forward and tell us what we need to do for five years to come."

Seerane said that the City had conducted roadshows, "listened to our people while identifying problems that we need to address".

A bosberaad had also been held where two plans - a100-day plan and a five-year plan - were drawn up to meet the needs of the residents.

Seerane said the 100-day plan had already seen the municipality doing away with illegal dumping sites, potholes, and registering 12 000 indigents. This registration drive was still in progress.

Shilowa, touching on the challenges facing the municipality, including unemployment, housing, crime, infrastructure and tourism, said the challenge was to grow the economy so that people could get employment.

Shilowa emphasised that the municipality needed to give tenders to local people and not to those with connections in the council.

On the issue of housing, Shilowa said: "Our aim is not to see people in informal settlements, but living in proper houses."

The City's portfolio head of housing, Lashman Baloyi, said the municipality had held talks with the MEC for housing, Nomvula Mokonyane, on the development of phase one. The City had to identified beneficiaries and currently had a budget for 66 houses, out of a total of 250. Another meeting would be held with the provincial government regarding the remaining houses.

Sinqobile ward committee member, Miriam Mogoje, raised the issue of a need for more access to water and the vandalising of toilets. "One water tap is not enough for 3 000 people and toilets were vandalised. We ask that the council assist us to address these issues."

The portfolio head for infrastructure management, Sipho Dube, said the City was working on rectifying the problem, but also urged residents to take care of facilities. "We will fix the toilets but we will also talk to the ward committee to find ways of avoiding vandalism."

Peace Mabe, the head of public safety, called on the South African Police Service in Kagiso to follow up cases that "were opened long ago so that we can nail the perpetrators".