The winds of discontent are blowing through the community of Standerton and neighbouring townships over poor service delivery ahead of municipal elections next month.
The voter dissatisfaction is borne out of a string of problems including collapsed infrastructure, electricity blackouts, intermittent water cuts, deterioration of roads and sewage spillages that have imprisoned residents in their homes.
The Lekwa local municipality, which covers Standerton, has been placed under administration after its collapse at the hands of the ANC. The municipality is one of the worst run in the country and is beset by debt, poor revenue collection, a lack of waste collection and nonexistent service delivery to its communities.
With local government elections now a few weeks away where residents have the opportunity to put things right in their municipality through the ballot box, many locals who spoke to Sowetan were instead apathetic.
Maria Sebitlo from Ext 8 in Standerton, who had to built herself a three-roomed house after waiting more than 15 years to get an RDP house, said she won't be voting.
“I'm not interested, I'm very hurt .The mention of Lekwa municipality brings tears in my eyes because they since left me with a dug-up yard where they were supposed to build me an RDP house. They left me with empty promises and even after years of following up, I got no response or a house,” she said.
Sebitlo, who works as domestic worker in the Standerton CBD, said she got tired of waiting for decent housing and she and her husband saved money to build their own house.
“My husband did not have much but seeing me cry every day made him realise we had to do something by ourselves. We feel safe and warm,” she said.
“For years I had lived in a shack, then a project for houses began. I had hope when they came to build houses in my area, however, the project was abandoned and I became a victim of another incomplete project, like many South Africans.”
Bongani Mahamba said he had lost confidence in the government, which is why he was not going to vote.
“The former mayor had promised us so much economic freedom and innovation in this town, but like all other crooks he came, looted and left,” he said.
“My problem with politicians is that they all come and make all sorts of promises to the poor masses because they need our votes. We are forgotten, lied to and belittled after they get what they want, so to hell with voting.”
Simon Mahlangu from Rooikopan township said he remained in Standerton because he had nowhere else to go.
“We don't even know the candidates that are up for elections this year and quite frankly, we don't care. They have been pushing us to go register to vote but they don't understand how angry we are in this municipality,” said Mahlangu.
He said councillors in the area had not been communicating with the residents until a month ago when they surfaced to campaign for votes.
“We have no democracy in Standerton, no dignity. We live in shameful conditions. We don't even feel like we are part of SA. Can the president come and see the pigsty we live in before talking about elections and then tell us if they would vote if they were in our shoes,” he said.
Mahlangu said even the youth had no hope. “The town is dead. Most people have left to look for better living conditions elsewhere and those of us who have nowhere to go continue to suffer.”
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