Cape Town - Community leaders and activists in Kraaifontein, Wallacedene, say they are looking forward to ushering in a new local councillor who will represent the interests of the residents to the best of his or her ability once in Council.
This as candidates contesting ward 6 – which stretches from Wallacedene, south of Mphandle Street, to Scottsdene, north of Eoan Way and La Boheme Avenue – are tying up their campaigns in the area in the hope of securing enough votes to be the next councillor.
Residents and community leaders belonging to the Wallacedene Development Forum said they were hoping their next councillor would be able to pick up where the outgoing councillor left off and work alongside the community to resolve some of the pressing challenges the area is facing.
The forum identified the lack of housing development, increasing crime, water and sanitation challenges as well as the decline and lack of growth of SMME’s in the ward as some of the areas they would like their new councillor to take on.
Forum secretary Masilakhe Ngqebe said: “I must say that the outgoing councillor was doing a good job. We never had any problems with how he facilitated projects and initiatives for the community. Now that we are going to be voting-in a new councillor, we hope that he or she will continue where the last person left off.
“They must strongly advocate for us, behind closed doors, and work to resolve several pressing issues we are facing here in Wallacedene. Currently, residents are living under terrible conditions in various parts of the suburb. Families are staying in overcrowded areas where shacks are built on top of each other, leading to the numerous problems you hear of daily.
“Tragic fires, flooding when it rains, burst sewage pipes, lack of water and crime. We need our new councillor to talk to the City that people need proper housing. It is time that our people be given title deeds, and this community be developed. Our people deserve to live in better conditions with access to proper service delivery, not half attempts.”
Ngqebe also said that the forum was looking forward to working with their new councillor to revitalise the community’s economy by supporting SMME’s. He said that focusing on assisting small businesses and entrepreneurs in the ward was one of the ways they had identified as a resolution to some of the challenges they were facing such as unemployment, and community development.
“I can go on and on about the challenges we are facing, but it’s time we are inspired and motivated to be active citizens and participate wholly in how our community is run moving forward. So as the Wallacedene Development Forum we are urging everyone to go and vote,” said Ngqebe.
Community leader Mpho Lekhatlanya said that as a leader she was hoping to see a different person take on the role of councillor.
“We are hopeful that the new councillor will have our interests at heart and be willing to work alongside us to institute real change in our ward. We too want to live like people in the suburbs are living, in proper homes, with working sewer systems and access to service delivery.”