DISGRUNTLED residents of the Newtown community in Fort Beaufort marched to the Raymond Mhlaba municipal offices on Monday to deliver a memorandum, in which all their grievances were spelled out.
The residents feel that, as a community, they are being neglected and singled out when it comes to the delivery of important services.
According to Patrick Erasmus, a community leader, the residents of Newtown often have to go for days without water or electricity whilst their neighbours in town and in the surrounding residential areas are fully serviced. The march was peaceful, with no incidents being reported.
The memorandum contained a variety of issues, such as access to community halls, water, electricity, infrastructure, poor health services, transparency on employment, the high crime rate, the absence of visible policing as well as the lack of parks and sports fields.
The behaviour of councillors was also highlighted in the memorandum. It was stipulated that meetings were never called to keep residents informed of developments, unfair labour practice was the order of the day, some councillors were not Fort Beaufort residents, and a lack of transparency, to name a few. Marchers also demanded re-election of ward committees in ward 8 and that the South African National Civics Organisation (SANCO) be part and parcel of all projects. The march took place under the banner of SANCO.
Marchers were told that the Raymond Mhlaba Municipality would respond within a matter of seven days to their demands.
