Note to Broadcasters: Please find attached soundbites in English and Afrikaans by Theo Gerber
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Lekwa-Teemane is deeply alarmed by the ongoing failure of the municipality to provide frontline service delivery workers with the basic tools of trade needed to perform their duties safely and effectively.
Residents often see municipal workers attempting repairs or maintenance that appear slow or ineffective. What the public does not see is the reality behind the scenes: staff being forced to carry out essential work without the most fundamental equipment. This unfair situation undermines service delivery, places unnecessary pressure on employees, and compromises the quality of services residents receive.
Despite repeated calls from the DA for the municipality to prioritise the procurement of proper tools of trade, the situation has shown no improvement.
In the absence of municipal action, the DA Lekwa-Teemane Constituency leadership and concerned community members stepped in to assist. Out of their own pockets and through community support, they provided essential equipment, including:
- Screwdrivers
- Spanners
- Headlamps and flashlights
- Pipe clamps
- Tyre repair support
- Access to specialised machinery such as TLBs
- Various other basic tools of trade
These are not luxuries; they are tools the municipality is obligated to provide as part of normal operations.
The DA acted out of commitment to ensure municipal workers can do their jobs professionally and safely, and so that residents receive the reliable service delivery they deserve.
But this intervention highlights a much deeper problem: it is not sustainable for public representatives and community members to fund tools that the municipality is responsible for supplying.
The DA again calls on the Lekwa-Teemane Local Municipality to immediately procure and distribute all essential tools of trade to its employees. Service delivery will continue to collapse as long as workers are sent into the field unequipped and unsupported.
The DA will continue to champion the rights of both residents and municipal workers and hold the municipality accountable until it fulfils its basic responsibilities.