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The Democratic Alliance (DA) is concerned about the Phumelela Local Municipality's delayed service delivery as a result of two failed projects in 2020. The construction of toilets was meant to serve the Zamani community in Memel, however, the contractor simply performed structural adjustments and abandoned the site.

The community was not informed of why the contractor left, and all materials were stolen. Similarly, pavement projects that started in 2021 also stopped abruptly.

The DA questioned the cause of the project's halt and was met with an excuse by the accounting officer, stating that it was due to community members being against the projects. The projects are now under investigation by the Hawks.

The lack of service delivery has a significant impact on the community, as they continue to live without proper sanitation facilities and infrastructure. The failure of these projects also wastes municipal resources and taxpayer funds, which could have been invested in other necessary services.

The DA will continue to advocate for the rights of the community of Zamani and ensure that service delivery and justice are achieved. We will hold accountable those responsible for these projects failure, demand transparency from the municipality, and work tirelessly to ensure that the community receives the benefits and services they are entitled to.

It is essential for the municipality to prioritise service delivery and ensure that projects are completed on time and efficiently. The DA is committed to ensuring that the community of Zamani receives the service delivery and justice they deserve. We will urge the municipality to take decisive action against the contractor and implement a system of ongoing, well-documented monitoring and evaluation for these projects in the future.

Issued by Ntombi Mokoena - DA Councillor Phumelela Local Municipality