Paving a way for communities
The mayor of Bushbuckridge Local Municipality , Cllr Sylvia Nxumalo (red dress) during the recent imbizo.
By Rodney Mashego
Bushbuckridge Local Municipality, in the presence of the Executive Mayor Cllr Sylvia Nxumalo and other stakeholders held a Mayoral Imbizo at the All Nations sports ground in Casteel, Ward 14 on Wednesday last weekend.
“I would like to start by thanking everyone for being present here,” Cllr. Nxumalo said. “We have about 38 wards in Bushbuckridge, and we decided to visit ward 14 today to engage and discuss the challenges faced within this ward and surrounding areas, as well as to pave a way forward for us all in order to improve,” She continued.
“As a municipality, our financial year began on the 1st of July this year, and therefore we would also like to update the people from the following wards: 14, 16, 22 and 32, under Casteel regional office about the developments they can expect from this ward in this financial year. The municipality is mostly concerned about the issues of water, internal streets, high mast lights, waste removal and electricity,” The Mayor added.
The mayor further acknowledged the water crises facing Bushbuckridge as a whole, and also assured residents that they have managed to come up with a solution for it. She also mentioned that the municipality is aware of illegal connections of water and a total of 17 out of 25 dysfunctional boreholes, and promised to have the matter fixed within a month’s time.
Also present were a few local artists from Bushbuckridge; Talo, Pensele and others to keep the crowd entertained throughout the course of the event. The day was concluded with a question and answer session on which the Executive Mayor answered to questions from the local residents. Worth noting was Ntswaki Maoko from ward 32 “I live in a two-roomed house with my children. Last year, in the presence of the Mayor, the Deputy President David Mabuza promised to build me a house, but then even today I’m still sharing a room with my 18 year-old son.”
The Mayor concluded by saying that more than 250 RDP houses will be built within these wards, and that Ntswaki will be one of the beneficiaries.