By Sbongile Sokela
City of Ekurhuleni Whip of Council Pelisa Nkunjana began her Service Delivery Week tour with visits to wards 77, 79, and 80 in KwaThema and Langaville, engaging with councillors and community members about ongoing service delivery and infrastructure challenges.
Her tour included an oversight visit to several problem areas, such as a neglected sports field in Extension 7. Ward 79 Councillor Njabulo Mbonani expressed concern about the recreational space, stating it has not been properly graded in years and poses safety risks due to overgrown grass and a broken high mast light. “I’ve been reporting the issue to the energy department but they keep saying they’ll get back to me,” said Mbonani. He added that the lighting has not worked since a transformer exploded.
Despite the poor condition, local soccer teams still use the sports field. “One of the community members got injured two weeks ago due to the poor conditions,” Mbonani reported. A soccer tournament is scheduled for the coming Saturday, with teams and spectators expected from across the area. “The community has requested that the ground be graded. They even suggested that if a grader can be found, maybe they can contribute some money so it can be graded.” However, Mbonani noted that the municipality only has one grader machine, making it difficult to service multiple areas.
In Ward 80, Councillor Celiwe Nkosi-Ramothibe raised concerns over Macbeth Street in the Barcelona area, which has been on the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) since 2019 but remains untarred. “The challenge with Macbeth Street is that it’s been forever on IDP since 2019. We ask for intervention Chief Whip, so that the community can see our work and that we are bringing service delivery to the people. It’s just not fair, it’s the only street in this area,” she said.
Adding to the concerns, a community member stated, “This street, when it is raining, it is horrible. The problem of this street became even worse when they came to dig it, promising that they will fix it.”
Electricity issues were also high on the list of complaints. Thomas Masha from Ward 79 said, “As it is about to be winter, school children use cold water to bath, so when there’s no electricity the crime goes up. We are pleading that they bring back the transformer.”
Another resident from Extension 2 highlighted the ongoing cable problem, saying, “The problem that we have at Extension 2 is that our electricity cables, ever since the transformer situation, are connected with Extension 3. The challenge is that we are a community here that is paying for our services, and buying electricity, but we are being affected because we are joint with Extension 3. We never get to enjoy electricity. The request we have as Extension 2 residents, ask for isolation cables.”
Councillor Nkosi-Ramothibe added, “Our children never get to play in this ground because the grass has not been cut off. We really need service delivery. There’s even illegal dumping because of the lack of grass cutting.”
In another issue raised during the tour, Dunjana explained concerns surrounding a new establishment near the stimulation centre. “This is a stimulation centre. It caters for sensitive children. Complaints made by the community were that children living here are sensitive to noise. Another thing is the surrounding area is mainly elderly people. They complained that anything that will make noise, they don’t want it. There will be a lot of hijackings, house robberies.”
Lindi Thladi from the stimulation centre responded, “We talked to the owners of the newly built establishment. They said they are building a restaurant, clinic, and pharmacy. This space, we didn’t get it from the municipality—they gave us. We didn’t have space, so we don’t have a problem.”
Meanwhile, amid all the infrastructural challenges, KwaThema’s elderly are finding purpose through farming. At the KwaThema Old Age Home, also known as Sizanani, senior citizens are using open land to grow herbs and vegetables. The centre provides land and water while the elders grow crops to feed their families and contribute to the centre’s meals.
One of the elderly farmers, Lilian Ramashaba, said, “Vegetables are expensive. I’m no longer buying vegetables.” However, she also reported a setback: cows broke through a damaged fence and destroyed their crops. Ramashaba braved the cold to repair the damage and is now appealing for help. “We are asking for help with tools and seeds. We are more than 30, I think. And sprinklers and tunnels—the net ones—so our plants can grow in winter,” she said.
At 67, Ramashaba remains energetic and active, crediting the centre’s sports activities for her vitality. “She even jumped up and down to show her flexibility,” a proud moment for many seniors aiming to stay healthy and purposeful despite challenges.
As the service delivery tour continues, residents across KwaThema and Langaville remain hopeful that their voices will lead to meaningful change.
