by Innocent Sithole | Apr 23, 2019
After
sustained community protests, President Cyril Ramaphosa visited Ekuvukeni,
outside Ladysmith, at the weekend and promised to fast track service delivery
and create job opportunities.
With less than three weeks to go before voting day, the president’s visit comes after residents refused to listen to community safety and liaison MEC Mxolisi Kaunda, and took a bus to Dannhauser, 75km away, to pose questions to Ramaphosa.
The
community has been protesting about issues with water supply and broken sewage
pipes. Ramaphosa told them he would act against government officials who were
not delivering services, according
to a report on Timeslive, but appealed to them not to prevent children from
attending school.
The president’s visit started at the home of Joseph Shabalala, the founder of Ladysmith Black Mambazo. He also went to the Nazareth Baptist Church (Shembe), before ending at Ekuvukeni. – Nqubeko FM (edited by Siya Motha)
by Innocent Sithole | Apr 18, 2019
When
residents of Ekuvukeni heard that President Cyril Ramaphosa would be visiting
nearby Dannhauser to open a school, they travelled there by bus to go and ask
him questions.
This
comes after a community protest at Ekuvukeni in March when Community Safety and
Liaison MEC Mxolisi Kaunda was forced to abandon a meeting with the community,
as members demanded to see the president instead. As previously reported on
Localvoices.co.za, Kaunda
was accused of lying to and disrespecting the community.
Community
members are angry about the lack of water and broken sewage pipes. A contractor
was sent to the area after this incident, but residents have still insisted
they want their grievances heard.
The
towns are around 75km apart, near Newcastle in KwaZulu Natal.
President
Ramaphosa was in the area with MEC for Economic Development, Tourism &
Environmental Affairs Sihle Zikalala and MEC for Education in KwaZulu-Natal Mthandeni
Dlungwana to officially open the R130m Enhlahleni Primary School.
Despite their trip to see the president on 17 April, they were not given an opportunity to ask questions. Disappointed pupils’ and residents of Ekuvukeni said they still want to speak to the president and the Minister of Basic Education. – Nqubeko community radio (edited by Siya Motha)
by Innocent Sithole | Mar 22, 2019
With Nqubeko community radio:
The community of Ekuvukeni, in Ladysmith, Kwazulu Natal are threatening to withhold their vote if their issues are not attended to.
They have told Nqubeko community radio station, that they are tired of being lied to by community safety MEC Mxolisi Kaunda. They have also accused Kaunda of disrespecting them as a community.
Earlier this week, they again took their grievances over lack of water and spilling sewer pipes to the streets. Open sewer pipes and muddy water are part of their lives, they now want President Cyril Ramaphosa to intervene.
Yesterday a contractor was sent to the area, but residents are adamant that, they want the president to personally hear them out or they will not be voting in the May 8 poll.
Ekuvukeni’s protests did not start this week, in an earlier services delivery protest, SASSA offices were torched and a parliamentary constituency office ransacked. Police in the area are investigating of malicious damage to property as well as the theft of 14 computers.
