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“It is disheartening to witness the millions of Rands and multitude of memories now lying in ruins,” says Mantsopa Municipality Cllr Tania Halse, following an oversight to four towns in the municipality.
Not only has Mantsopa Municipality in the past 5-10 years neglected roads, landfill sites, sewage and water plants, but also buildings and public amenities.
In the local municipal building, walls are cracked and have not seen a lick of paint for years. Floor boards and tiles are broken. Celling boards are missing or cracked. Doors are missing or hanging off broken hinges. Light fittings are missing and many lights do not work.
Our oversight to Excelsior, Hobhouse, Tweespruit and Ladybrand, revealed a situation far worse than what one can even imagine.
In Hobhouse, an entire building is missing. Once a hall, one now only finds an open field and a foundation – a reminder that there once was an asset that could generate an income for the municipality and be enjoyed by the community. Down the road, a once modern, well-built ablution block that formed part of a caravan park is slowly being carried away by vandals.
In Excelsior, stadium stands, the community hall and dressing rooms are gradually being vandalised and carried away.
The municipal flats in both Ladybrand and Tweespruit actually pose life threatening risks to tenants. Mantsopa still expects residents to pay to live in these dangerous conditions! The Dawie Neethling Hall and Borwa community centre in Tweespruit have both been vandalised.
Lost is the revenue for this municipality, but even longer lost is the opportunities for residents to take part in cultural, sport, academic and social events in a safe and secure environment.
The ANC’s systemic culture to break, rather than build has a negative effect on the residents and financial ability to maintain and build new buildings.
The DA will be writing to the Auditor-General to make sure that they investigate all municipal buildings during the following audit cycle in line with GRAP compliance and municipal Acts.
Issued by Tania Halse Cllr - Ward 7 Councillor - Mantsopa Municipality
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