DURBAN - THE Public Protector has given the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) a deadline of 60 days to discuss, adopt and pass a resolution indicating steps to be taken by the City to address shortcomings in municipal services in Alexandra.
Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s office released its report on an investigation into allegations of maladministration relating to poor socio-economic conditions and the lack of essential services in the township of Alexandra.
In her report, Mkhwebane lashed officials for failing to provide basic services to the people. “Evidence gathered during an inspection in loco, found that CoJ has not provided sufficient municipal services to the community of Alexandra in a sustainable manner.”
Some service delivery deficiencies recorded in the report were inadequate housing which had resulted in widespread land invasion and property encroachment, failure or undue delays to issue title deeds to lawful owners of existing houses, overflowing manholes, blocked drains, an unpleasant stench in hostels, and potholes in the streets due to a lack of maintenance.
“A general lack of maintenance and degradation of buildings in hostels has resulted in damaged plumbing systems, poor illumination and unhygienic conditions,” the report stated. “Uncollected refuse or waste lies strewn along walkways and corridors within the informal settlements.”
The report also pointed to heavily polluted surface water in the Jukskei River due to the direct and uncontrolled deposit of waste and raw sewer waste into the stream.
It said chemical toilets were shared by no less than seven families and located within a radius of 500m from each other, and they were cleaned or drained only once a week by Pikitup.
Mkhwebane’s spokesperson, Oupa Segalwe, said that due to the amount of work to be conducted into the unaccounted funds in the R2 billion Alexandra renewal project, her office has asked the Gauteng premier to write to President Cyril Ramaphosa to request him to instruct the Special Investigating Unit to assist in recovering the money and to get answers from those responsible. “This requires forensic investigations which the office of the public protector cannot undertake due to a lack of resources.”
The Gauteng premier’s spokesperson, Castro Ngobese, said he would comment after he had read the report.
Daily News