Sterkspruit Civic Association launches its election manifesto

Bensovale College in Sterkspruit has been turned into a sea of red as hundreds of members, mostly from rural villages, continue to swarm into the institution where the Sterkspruit Civic Association (SCA) is officially launching its election manifesto.

So far around 500 people from several areas around Sterkpruit have already arrived for the launch which will take place shortly before lunchtime according to SCA leaders.

Following a long drawnout battle with government to have Sterkspruit secede from Senqu local municipality (which also encompasses Lady Grey and Barkley East) to form its own municipality, SCA leaders later announced that they would contest field candidates of their own to contest the August 3 Local Government Elections.

SCA chairman Mcebisi Mgojo, speaking to the Daily Dispatch prior to the launch, said they would contest for seats in the Joe Gqabi district municipality.

He said the decision had been borne out of frustration due to a lack of service delivery by the ANC-led Senqu local authority.

"We have been fighting to have our own municipality here because Sterkspruit has the largest number of the population in Senqu and the majority of municipal wards are also here," said Mgojo.

While Sterkspruit boasts 17 municipal wards, Barkley East and Lady Grey only had a single ward each.

Mgojo said there were 88 villages in total in Sterkspruit but most villagers were still fighting to get services from government.

"At least 90% of the villages often have no water for up to three months. Many roads here are very bad while there is very little by way of service delivery coming to Sterkspruit."

He said they had tried everything from engaging with local municipal bosses, to provincial government and national government to no avail.

Even engagements with ANC leaders including at national level had also failed to bear any fruit.

Unemployed 34-year-old Nthabiseng Mdityana, who arrived at the launch early in the morning, said she was hoping her troubles would be over, once the SCA took control of Senqu municipality."

At the moment, the mother of three does not even have electricity in her mud house in Kromspruit village about 5km from town.

"They just gave me a metre box about two years ago and that was it. I have to use paraffin which they give us for free every month to cook. But even that does not last long," she said.

While she and other poor villagers around Sterkspruit receive 10 litres of paraffin from authorities, Mdityana still has to go and collect firewood from a forest across a river when it runs out. But sometimes, she can't even get to the forest due to inclement weather.

"Obviously when it rains and the river overflows, I can't risk my life. We just have to go to bed on empty stomachs."

Her family survives on state social grants which she gets every month for her three children.

She also does not have water and has to rely on the goodwill of neighbours like Boyisile Ndleleni who have managed to erect their own taps inside their yards in Kromspruit.

Ndleleni said he had to part with around R1000 to put up a tap in his home.

Both also feel let down by their municipal bosses, as even the only gravel road  leading to their village is lit up with huge  potholes.

"If someone has to go to hospital, they have to be transported on that bumpy gravel road.It doesn't matter if you are sick or pregnant," said Ndleleni.

The pair however are optimistic that their fortunes will change for the better after the elections should SCA be elected to run the Senqu council.

"They are our last hope for a better life," they told the Dispatch.

Meanwhile, 30-year-old Zukelwa Ngcefe, who dropped out of Grade 11 due to financial difficulties in 2010, said she had given up hope of finding employment under the current government. But she also believes that she would soon be singing a different tune once the association comes into power