The ActionSA Gauteng Caucus, together with the ActionSA Caucus in the City of Ekurhuleni, today conducted an oversight visit to Tembisa Ward 102 to assess the issue of poor infrastructure related to a bridge in the Kaalspruit River.
This issue has been raised by numerous community members in the ward who informed us that the bridge is damaged and nearly unusable, with no action taken by either local or provincial governments to address the problem.
During the oversight visit, ActionSA members were surprised by the poor design of the bridge, as it appears to be significantly lower than the banks of the river. It is evident that even a small amount of rainfall can cause the bridge to flood. Speaking with the community, our public representatives were informed that the bridge was built in 2014 at a cost of millions. However, a simple inspection reveals that the bridge is poorly designed and can flood at any given time.
Furthermore, during our oversight, our public representatives noted the large amount of sewage and waste being dumped into the river, which impacts the health of the people living around the river and affects the water quality. Community members also informed us that due to the City of Ekurhuleni not collecting waste, some members of the community resort to dumping everything into the river. Additionally, the lack of sewage infrastructure leads to raw sewage running into the river.
As ActionSA, we strongly believe that every South African deserves to live in a healthy and safe environment. Therefore, we will be working with the community to hold the executive branches of both the City of Ekurhuleni and the Gauteng Provincial Government accountable for these failures.
We will be writing to both levels of government demanding answers regarding the plans to fix the low-lying bridge, the cost to build the bridge, the construction company used, and the actions being taken by the municipal government to address the sewage issues faced by the community. We will also demand answers on access to water, which is limited, and ensuring that the municipality collects waste in the area.
People of Tembisa Ward 102 deserve better than this. It can be 30 years into our democracy and there are South Africans living like this. As ActionSA, we are committed to taking action and ensuring that these issues are addressed promptly.
ActionSA Shocked by the State of the Pedestrian Bridge in Tswelopele Ext 8, Tembisa
The ActionSA Gauteng Caucus, together with the ActionSA Caucus in the City of Ekurhuleni, today conducted an oversight visit to Tembisa Ward 102 to assess the issue of poor infrastructure related to a bridge in the Kaalspruit River.
This issue has been raised by numerous community members in the ward who informed us that the bridge is damaged and nearly unusable, with no action taken by either local or provincial governments to address the problem.
During the oversight visit, ActionSA members were surprised by the poor design of the bridge, as it appears to be significantly lower than the banks of the river. It is evident that even a small amount of rainfall can cause the bridge to flood. Speaking with the community, our public representatives were informed that the bridge was built in 2014 at a cost of millions. However, a simple inspection reveals that the bridge is poorly designed and can flood at any given time.
Furthermore, during our oversight, our public representatives noted the large amount of sewage and waste being dumped into the river, which impacts the health of the people living around the river and affects the water quality. Community members also informed us that due to the City of Ekurhuleni not collecting waste, some members of the community resort to dumping everything into the river. Additionally, the lack of sewage infrastructure leads to raw sewage running into the river.
As ActionSA, we strongly believe that every South African deserves to live in a healthy and safe environment. Therefore, we will be working with the community to hold the executive branches of both the City of Ekurhuleni and the Gauteng Provincial Government accountable for these failures.
We will be writing to both levels of government demanding answers regarding the plans to fix the low-lying bridge, the cost to build the bridge, the construction company used, and the actions being taken by the municipal government to address the sewage issues faced by the community. We will also demand answers on access to water, which is limited, and ensuring that the municipality collects waste in the area.
People of Tembisa Ward 102 deserve better than this. It can be 30 years into our democracy and there are South Africans living like this. As ActionSA, we are committed to taking action and ensuring that these issues are addressed promptly.