We are building “abnormal” communities, and it is no wonder we are plagued by social ills. As a Provincial Office Manager in the office of ActionSA NW provincial chairperson and MPL, I firmly believe that lawmakers have a critical role to play in passing laws that regulate where people live. The economy and environmental factors should be at the forefront of plans for new and expanding communities.
My experience in accompanying MPL Kgosi Kwena Mangope on his oversight week as a member of the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) portfolio committee has shown me the dire consequences of dysfunctional municipalities.
Our oversight visits to Dr KK region revealed overflowing sewage pipes, creating wetlands that harm aquatic ecosystems and contribute to the hyacinth infestation in our rivers and dams. The litter and solid waste in our neighbourhoods are embarrassing and unacceptable.
As a province we need to shift our focus from just providing affordable housing to creating sustainable communities. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs reminds us that housing is just one aspect of a person’s physiological needs, alongside food, water, and clothing. By neglecting economic development, we are forcing people to leave the very houses we provide.
To change this trajectory, we must design communities with economic viability, environmental sustainability, and investor attraction in mind. This in my views it includes:
– Conducting economic viability studies to ignite local economies
– Environmental studies to ensure sustainability and address global warming
– Setting aside resources to attract local and international investors
– Building big projects to make new areas worthwhile
It is impossible; it has been done before. The former Bophuthatswana administration’s success in Mogwase is still a shining example. Even in current Democratic dispensation we can create normal communities, free from substance abuse, violent crime, poverty, discrimination, and man-mad health hazards. Let’s Fix our municipalities to make sustainable change within our communities. Let’s build communities that thrive.
