Note to Editors: Please find the attached soundbite in English and Setswana by Sello Seitlholo, MP, the DA Constituency Head in Greater Taung Local Municipality.
For years, the people of Tlapeng village which borders the North West (NW) and Northern Cape (NC) have been struggling without basic services such as water, healthcare, roads and sanitation.
The village falls between the NW and NC; and between two municipalities of Greater Taung and Phokwani Local Municipality.
During an oversight visit, I was informed by community leaders that Tlapeng is proclaimed to fall under Phokwani Municipality’s Ward 4 whilst one area falls under the administrative jurisdiction of Greater Taung Municipality’s Ward 9. It is clear with all these disparities service delivery will remain a concern for this community
There are two councillors deployed within the same area by each municipality namely – Councillor Mpho Magagane who is in charge of Ward 4 under Phokwane Local Municipality and Councillor Masego Lesedi who is in charge of Ward 9 under Greater Taung Local Municipality.
Although the village is surrounded by two councillors, neither of them have addressed concerns raised by the community regarding improving service delivery instead the community is in limbo with no one to assist them.
The Greater Taung Local Municipality has completely ignored the needs of this community, there is no spatial planning for the village, no clinic, no police station, there are no roads and no water supply.
The DA will write to the Greater Taung Mayor, Kgosi Nyoko Motlhabane, and the Municipal Manager, Katlego Gabanakgosi requesting them to make provision for the area that falls within their municipality to be provided with services such as water, sanitation, roads and proper policing to ensure community safety.
The DA will not rest until there is a concrete strategic plan which outlines the budget and timeline of how the municipality will start to address service delivery concerns.