Fed up Potsdam villagers are planning to vent their frustration over service delivery delays with protests and road blockades this week.
Ikhwezi Block residents say Buffalo City Metro manager Andile Sihlahla promised in a letter last year that the municipality would begin formalising their settlement last month.
But March came and went with no change, and now community members are angrily accusing the city authorities of selling them lies.
The forgotten village, as they call it, has been without water, electricity, adequate houses and roads since its establishment some 30 years ago.
In a letter addressed to their ward councillor Zameka Kodwa-Gajula and seen by the Dispatch, Sihlahla tells residents that a contractor will be there to begin with installation of water and sanitation infrastructure and a road upgrade by March 2018.
This raised their hopes of decent shelter and adequate services after decades of deprivation.
Adding salt to the wound, say residents, a delegation from the metro failed to pitch for a promised meeting on Friday.
On Friday, the Dispatch team spent some time at the village and saw how they struggled to walk narrow footpaths through dense bush to draw water from a faulty communal tap.
Nosicelo Leleki, 36, said it was a daily 3km slog to draw water.
“The tap is broken and we connected a hose which is not sterilised so we are exposed to germs,” said Leleki.
Khanyiso Dyalo, 27, said: “The conditions are the worst they have ever been. This is not what we were promised when the government was talking about service delivery.”
In his letter, Sihlahla says an application for the electrification of the area had already been made to Eskom, a claim denied by the utility.
Eskom spokesman Zama Mpondwana told the Dispatch on Friday he had no record of contact from BCM regarding an Ikhwezi Block electrification project.
Mpondwana said applications for electrification projects were normally sent to the Department of Energy and not directly to Eskom.
“Together with the municipalities, we implement household electrification projects with funding from the department,” he explained.
The residents are also furious that a budget of R8.7-million meant for development of their area was instead rerouted to develop Reeston.
Metro spokesman Samkelo Ngwenya confirmed that, adding it was normal procedure for funds to be rerouted.
“It is a norm that budget gets reallocated if a project is not in a state of readiness.
“What is key for us is that we are committed to this project and we will get a chance to thoroughly explain and update the community factually during the upcoming Integrated Development Plan and budget roadshows,” said Ngwenya.
He added: “It is however of grave concern to us that correspondence which was between the administration and our councillor landed up in newspapers and elsewhere, as this has severe consequences on misinterpretations.”
Community leader Mncedisi Mdingi said ambulances struggled so to reach people that they could die waiting.
“Also, desperate people do illegal connections which endanger animals and humans,” Mdingi said.
The community had been raising their plight to authorities since 2002 but their pleas seemingly fell on deaf ears, he added.
Eastern Cape human settlements department spokesman Lwandile Sicwetsha yesterday confirmed that the metro was working with them on a housing plan for the community.
However, he said the plans were still at an early stage. — malibongwed@dispatch.co.za
Forgotten village of Potsdam fed up with service delivery delays
Ikhwezi Block residents say Buffalo City Metro manager Andile Sihlahla promised in a letter last year that the municipality would begin formalising their settlement last month.
But March came and went with no change, and now community members are angrily accusing the city authorities of selling them lies.
The forgotten village, as they call it, has been without water, electricity, adequate houses and roads since its establishment some 30 years ago.
In a letter addressed to their ward councillor Zameka Kodwa-Gajula and seen by the Dispatch, Sihlahla tells residents that a contractor will be there to begin with installation of water and sanitation infrastructure and a road upgrade by March 2018.
This raised their hopes of decent shelter and adequate services after decades of deprivation.
Adding salt to the wound, say residents, a delegation from the metro failed to pitch for a promised meeting on Friday.
On Friday, the Dispatch team spent some time at the village and saw how they struggled to walk narrow footpaths through dense bush to draw water from a faulty communal tap.
Nosicelo Leleki, 36, said it was a daily 3km slog to draw water.
“The tap is broken and we connected a hose which is not sterilised so we are exposed to germs,” said Leleki.
Khanyiso Dyalo, 27, said: “The conditions are the worst they have ever been. This is not what we were promised when the government was talking about service delivery.”
In his letter, Sihlahla says an application for the electrification of the area had already been made to Eskom, a claim denied by the utility.
Eskom spokesman Zama Mpondwana told the Dispatch on Friday he had no record of contact from BCM regarding an Ikhwezi Block electrification project.
Mpondwana said applications for electrification projects were normally sent to the Department of Energy and not directly to Eskom.
“Together with the municipalities, we implement household electrification projects with funding from the department,” he explained.
The residents are also furious that a budget of R8.7-million meant for development of their area was instead rerouted to develop Reeston.
Metro spokesman Samkelo Ngwenya confirmed that, adding it was normal procedure for funds to be rerouted.
“It is a norm that budget gets reallocated if a project is not in a state of readiness.
“What is key for us is that we are committed to this project and we will get a chance to thoroughly explain and update the community factually during the upcoming Integrated Development Plan and budget roadshows,” said Ngwenya.
He added: “It is however of grave concern to us that correspondence which was between the administration and our councillor landed up in newspapers and elsewhere, as this has severe consequences on misinterpretations.”
Community leader Mncedisi Mdingi said ambulances struggled so to reach people that they could die waiting.
“Also, desperate people do illegal connections which endanger animals and humans,” Mdingi said.
The community had been raising their plight to authorities since 2002 but their pleas seemingly fell on deaf ears, he added.
Eastern Cape human settlements department spokesman Lwandile Sicwetsha yesterday confirmed that the metro was working with them on a housing plan for the community.
However, he said the plans were still at an early stage. — malibongwed@dispatch.co.za
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