“We want proper roads in Tshitale and Vleifontein”

Residents display their posters.

“We want proper roads in Tshitale and Vleifontein”

Hundreds of residents of the Tshitale area and Vleifontein took part in a service-delivery protest march in Louis Trichardt last Thursday.

The peaceful demonstration started at the Louis Trichardt Information Centre and proceeded through the middle of the town's central business district to the municipal offices. Led by the South African Civic Organisation (Sanco), residents presented a memorandum with their concerns to the mayor of the Makhado Municipality, Cllr David Mutavhatsindi.

In the memorandum, residents demand the tarring of gravel roads in villages around Tshitale, Musekwa and Khomele. They added that the area must "be rehabilitated, as we are living in a sloppy area."

The residents also demand that the the backlog in the electrification of Ramantsha village be attended to immediately and post connections in all villages within the municipality be prioritized. A forensic investigation should also be conducted of all tenders awarded by the municipality "as tenders are benefiting the selected few," the residents said.

Sanco also demanded "the normalisation of the water supply."

Water is a source of life and a basic right, said the chairperson of the Makhado sub-region of Sanco, Mr Daniel Masindi. "During the rainy season, residents in the Tshitale area find it extremely difficult to reach their homes. Workers, learners, teachers and people who work in places further away from home are delayed for hours," he added.

The council was requested to respond to residents' demands within 14 working days. Residents have threatened to boycott the coming general elections, should the Makhado Municipality continue to ignore the bad condition of the roads. Cllr Mutavhatsindi promised that they were going to respond within 14 working days.

Residents, led by Sanco, march to hand over a memorandum of grievances to the mayor of the Makhado Municipality.

Cllr David Mutavhatsindi signs the memorandum, while the Makhado sub-region chairperson of Sanco, Mr Daniel Masindi, is looking on.

Date:25 June 2015

By: Kaizer Nengovhela

Kaizer Nengovhela started writing stories for Limpopo Mirror in 2000. Prior to that he had a five year stint at Phala-Phala FM as sports presenter. In 2005 Kaizer received an award from the province's premier as Best Sports Presenter. The same year he was also nominated as Best Sports Reporter by the Makhado Municipality. Kaizer was awarded the Mathatha Tsedu award in 2014.

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