Thulamela mayor promises better services to the communities

The mayor of the Thulamela Local Municipality (TLM), Sarah Rambuda, engaged with the community members of Ward 27 at Mutuwafethu Primary School’s sports grounds on Friday, 27 October, to discuss service-delivery problems and the way forward. 

The aim of the mayoral imbizo was to strengthen relationships with community stakeholders to improve service delivery to the residents of Thulamela.

Mayor Rambuda and her entourage, which included councillors and officials from the municipality, started the day with a visit to Mr Rabelani Tshikovhi, a disabled man who lives in a one-room house. Tshikovhi received food parcels and blankets, and Rambuda pledged to build him a new house.

Mr Mpho Matika, a representative of Dopeni, Shanzha, Tshivhilidulu, and some of the surrounding communities within Ward 27, told Rambuda that their concerns needed to be addressed as a matter of urgency. “We are situated in deep rural villages, and we are worried about the poor state of roads, water shortages, and lack of electricity supply at some of the new villages. Crime is also rife here in our communities and we appeal to the mayor to install Apollo lights to provide better light at night, so that thugs won’t be able to hide in the shadows,” said Matika.

Vhamusanda Pfananani Shavhani, of Shanzha village, said in his submission that, as the custodians of the people, they would be happy if the Thulamela Municipality could be committed to changing life for the better for the communities. He said the presence and participation of traditional leaders in the running of certain programmes in local municipalities around the Vhembe District will help speed up service delivery, such as water and electricity supply, as well as better roads.

In her summation of responses, Rambuda said she was happy that the municipality was gearing up to delivering better services. She said she had received a report informing her that the construction of about 40 new RDP houses allocated in Ward 27 and electricity projects at some of the new extension villages were progressing well and should be completed very soon.

Rambuda further said that, although water supply was not the responsibility of the TLM, they were working as a team with the Vhembe District Municipality (VDM). She promised to urgently report the lack of water supply at the affected communities in Ward 27 to the VDM.

Date:02 November 2023

By: Silas Nduvheni

Read: 1822