TSUMEB – Residents of the copper mining town of Tsumeb have requested their councillors to resign because they are allegedly too comfortable and no longer effective in service delivery.
Speaking to New Era when it re-visited the Soweto location where the newspaper discovered residents had been drinking water from public toilets, they said the area was still without any taps and they were still drinking water tapped from public toilets.
According to Yerabeam Hafeni councillors in Tsumeb avoid the Soweto location like the plague.
“We have never seen any of the so-called councillors in Soweto, it is as if they do not exist,” lamented Hafeni.
“We seeing them is not really important, our main concern is their service delivery, not to mention making good on the promises they made as servants of the people. We elected these people for a reason but it seems they have long forgotten why they are in those offices. In my opinion they are no longer able to serve us. The only solution is new councillors, the ones we have here in Tsumeb have nothing more to contribute,” thundered Hafeni.
Regina Ndjiva another resident echoed similar sentiments saying the town was in desperate need of new ideas especially in Soweto.
“We are tired of these invisible councillors, if they exist at all. I cannot even comment on their effectiveness because as far as I know they are nonexistent. What I will admit is that there is a dire need for new and hard working councillors, the ones we have are not doing their jobs and if any one of them is doing his or her work then their service delivery is pathetic and a joke,” she said.
According to residents in Soweto the situation is fast deteriorating, just when they thought it could not get any worse.
“As if things were not bad enough, these days when you go collect water one often finds human faeces smeared all over the tap. This is usually done at night because it’s dried up in the morning. I want to tell whoever is doing this to stop because it is really disgusting and totally uncalled for,” said a sickened Ndjiva.
Despite this awful act residents continue to tap water from the toilets. “Sure you wash the faeces off the tap before getting your water – what other choice do you have? However that horrible thought stays with you. Even when you drink or prepare your food that image is there. It is a grotesque image to have at the back of one’s mind,” complained Ndjiva bitterly.
“The municipality is not only failing us they are also oppressing us. Our children are growing up in very unhygienic conditions, always falling sick. This is an ongoing thing and going to hospital does not help because they come back to the same sickening environment,” said Veronica Naidel a 73-year-old pensioner.
Residents claim refuse collection is irregular with refuse sometimes piling up for weeks or months at a time.
“We chose these councillors but now we no longer want them because they are not delivering. We want new people who will be doing their work. The current councillors have become too comfortable, they no longer respect us. When you go to their offices you are spoken to like a child,” complained Simon Israel (64).
By John Travolter Matali