Densification without upgrades and maintenance is unsustainable

by Cllr. Jill Humphreys — DA Ward Councillor & Member of the Environment, Resource and Waste Management in Ekurhuleni

Date: 09 September 2021

Release: Immediate

Type: Media statement

The Bill of Rights in the South African Constitution states that “Everyone has the right to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being”. Yet, the CoE consistently and persistently fails to fulfil its constitutional mandate.

Bedfordview residents are plagued by incessant rivers of raw sewage in their residential and business properties — constantly navigating their lives around air-borne contaminants and a foul stench in the air. Bedfordview’s sewer issues have been ongoing for several years and reported on countless occasions. Yet, the CoE has done nothing to rectify the problem permanently. This, after the ANC and its coalition partners* voted to raise residents’ sanitation bill by 8% this year.

Residents of Bedfordview watch in dismay as their once thriving and beautiful town descends into decay. This is the daily reality of Bedfordview residents:

· Raw sewerage

· Potable water bursting and pouring down the streets

· Water repairs are not reinstated

· Trees are not pruned

· Grass is not cut — the traffic islands and verges are a disgrace

· Streetlights are constantly out

· Potholes abound

· Illegal dumping

While the evidence of this Metro’s malfunction is everywhere, multiple unit developments are being encouraged all over Bedfordview. While we are grateful for the investment, it must be noted that future and present residents are being severely compromised. These developments are simply not sustainable! The same old bursting and inadequate systems are expected to carry yet greater volumes and more pressure. We are seeing the consequence of these decisions now — a once excellent system is groaning under the weight of no maintenance and no replacements.

For years now, the DA has been pleading with the CoE to upgrade and replace the sewerage systems to accommodate the changing and growing developments of the City. However, the CoE has no will change and rectify this urgent matter. Instead, the ANC and its coalition partners indulge in rampant corruption and cadre deployment into critical positions — people who do not have the necessary skills to implement the much-needed maintenance and upgrading of our infrastructure!

Get the basics right, Mr. Mayor, and forget your vanity projects! A racetrack and a zoo are going to be equally unsustainable without upgraded infrastructure!

This Metro is an embarrassing disgrace.

The residents of Ekurhuleni deserve much better! They deserve a DA-led, and well-run government that will get the basics right by ensuring effective and responsive service delivery.

#Time4Change

*ANC Coalition Partners: African Independent Congress (AIC), Pan Africanist Congress (PAC), Patriotic Alliance (PA) and Independent Ratepayers Association of South Africa (IRASA)

Cllr. Jill Humphreys

DA Ward Councillor & Member of the Environment Resource and Waste Management in Ekurhuleni