Water leakage on the corner of Hawthorne and Barclay Street on Monday morning.
by Graham Noot 12 March 2010
There is growing concern amongst Kokstad residents at what seems to be a breakdown of municipal services as well as a ´lacklustre´ attitude from the Greater Kokstad Municipality.
Ongoing complaints have been received by the Fever which on investigating, seem genuine concerns.
Besides the lengthy power failures highlighted in the local press some weeks ago, due to a contractor damaging a cable while undertaking road works, there have been a significant number of water leakages from underground pipes in Kokstad, also caused by contractors undertaking road works.
All the contractors interviewed tell the same story of how they were not given drawings of the underground infrastructure of the roads they are working on.
It is not clear why the contractors are not given maps or drawings showing the underground water, sewer and electricity networks as any underground infrastructure built and installed over the years required drawings and approval from the relevant authorities.
In a recent set of questions emailed to Andile Velem, Greater Kokstad´s Infrastucture, Planning and Development Executive Manager, asking whose responsibility it is to supply contractors with plans and drawings of the underground infrastructure, he responded by saying that the greater Kokstad municipality only kept some drawings of the underground water and sewage networks and added that ´these resources´ are handed over to the relevant contractors when appointed to undertake work.
This is in contrast to what contractors have told the Fever who say they are not given plans. As most of the contractors have not worked on these particular roads before, they are not familiar with the underground infrastructure.
It is also not clear why the local authority who appoints the contractors, does not source the required plans for the private contractors and it seems whatever ´ resources´ Andile Velem is referring to and handed over to the contractors, are inadequate.
In addition to Kokstad´s electricity and water woes, the Fever was contacted about an overgrown street gutter in Elliot Street which has clearly been blocked for a long time – so much so that reeds and grass have grown to a significant height. Local Elliot Street residents agree that the gutter has not been cleared or cleaned out for ´at least two years.´
Once again the Fever contacted Andile Velem whose response was, “the right hand side of Elliot Road from Avenue Street has been attended to recently; it is our intention to attend to the left hand side from Avenue Street; this has been delayed due to the damage that needed to be attended to after the recent storms; we undertake with confidence that within two weeks our team will be sent to complete gutter cleaning that was started in Elliot Street.”
THERE is an initiative to revive the bird sanctuary dam at the outskirts of the Kokstads CBD, adjacent to extension seven. The dam was drained some months ago as some residents believed the local municipality had a responsibility to safeguard children from using the dam.
Complaints have been received about the intermittent poor TV signals in Kokstad especially SABC 1 and 3. Some Kokstad inhabitants have complained of the bad TV signal and describing the reception as snowy or blurred.
Kokstad residents united in protest
Graham Noot
Supported by COSATU and local taxi associations, the crowd marched to the municipal offices where a petition was handed over to Greater Kokstad Mayor, Mbulelo Sithole by the Kokstad Ratepayers and Residents Association.
The petition contained a number of demands, some of which included complaints about the ‘fundamentally flawed’ 2008 valuation roll, delays in responding to objections and the sustainability of the recently approved rates hike.
The peaceful protest was essentially to highlight concerns at the recently approved rates hike, which, as most residents are now aware, will effectively see residential rates increase by 100% and commercial rates by 200%.
Seen as alarming, ratepayers seem united in the view that should the new rates take effect, it will be the economic death knell of Kokstad, with a down-scaling in business and definite job losses.
Business and ratepayers feel that their concerns have fallen on deaf ears and many people have started to question the credentials and ability of councillors and municipal management associated with formulating and approving the increases.“It’s alarming that some councilors and people in charge don’t seem to understand basic economics” said one local businessman.
Meanwhile, it has emerged that the Greater Kokstad municipal manager, Mxolisi Nkosi, is adamant that the approved rates increases should be implemented. However, rumours of divisions in the political echelons of the local council are surfacing as a result of the negative connotations and publicity which the rates increases have caused.
Attorneys have been retained to mediate between concerned residents and the municipality in the hope of finding a solution.
Kokstad’s citizens march against rates increases.
THE Congress of the People (Cope) in Kokstad has commended the hard work of the Greater Kokstad Municipality which resulted in the Municipality receiving a clean bill of health from the Auditor General yet again.
The Greater Kokstad municipal turnaround strategy recently introduced to officials and councillors has been commended by the local stakeholders. This comes after a two day workshop by Municipal officials and councillors to educate them about the importance of the strategy aimed at turning the municipality around.
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