Mamelodi residents and local councillors were disappointed when Tshwane metro officials failed to attend the Gauteng Legislature outreach programme roadshow at Ikageng community hall on Wednesday.
The roadshow, led by Gauteng Legislature chairperson of committees Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane, is aimed at widows, widowers and child-headed households.
“We are very disappointed that Tshwane metro officials did not pitch, but it is not something that shocks us,” councillor Joel Masilela said.
He said it was expected that the current DA-led administration had no interest in resolving contradictions confronting the people.
“The Tshwane city manager was invited and there were supposed to be delegated people of duties to come and respond to the issues of people of Ikageng and Mahube Valley. People have been without water. The cancellation of all indigent policy beneficiaries in 2016 from the database is also an issue,” said Masilela.
Most residents in the Ikageng extension and Mahube Valley have been struggling with water for the past four years, due to the illegal water connections at the Mamelodi reservoir.
Masilela said residents came in their numbers looking for answers about the cancellation of the indigent policy. They claimed they had not been able to verify and reconnect to the indigence registration as beneficiaries.
He said the Tshwane metro had not proactively responded to the plight of affected community members every month and was expecting people to pay their bills religiously.
“The metro does not subscribe to its own legal obligations.”
Sam Monareng from Mamelodi East said he was very disappointed because water shortages have been an issue in Mahube Valley for years.
He said he attended the meeting, thinking he would finally get the answers of how the Tshwane metro would fix it.
“We have many families in Mamelodi with electricity bills that are still under their parent’s name who are no more and are fighting for ownership of the house or it is being illegally sold by members of the family,” said Monareng.
He said other issues were abnormal billing and the cancellation of the indigence policy, adding that the Tshwane metro had failed. “Where are we going to find the answers?” asked Monareng.
Nkosi-Malobane reminded Mamelodi residents about the importance of drafting their wills and testaments.
She spoke to the residents about legal issues involving marriage and estates.
“Drafting a will is free and parents must draft wills while they are still alive. In Mamelodi, we have a lot of cases where children are fighting for family houses. In some cases aunts or uncles are illegally selling houses which parents have left for their children because there was no will,” she said.
Residents were helped by attorneys to draft their wills, free of charge at the event.
“It is better to leave a will that clearly explains what must happen with your assets,” said Nkosi-Malobane.
“The will simplifies everything and no one is supposed to break it.”
Residents complained about corruption to the Master of the High Court and the Tshwane metro and pleaded with the Gauteng Legislature to intervene.
Masindi Mashudu from the Master of the High Court office in Pretoria advised the public to share information about corruption, so it could be investigated.
He said they would follow up on the complaints. “Whoever is doing it must be arrested, because there must be no fraudulent process.”
The Legal Practice Council also helped people with their legal issues for free.
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