Communities in the rural Chris Hani District in the Eastern Cape have called on government to speed up the delivery of basic services in the area. This as the district hosted the 9th Presidential Imbizo in Tsomo. Bad roads and a lack of access to clean drinking water are among the service delivery woes they face.
It took 10 years to complete but the treatment plant will see many villages having access to water. At least 81 out of the 171 villages in the Chris Hani District still need water provision.
“We have covered 81 out of the 171 villages in Chris Hani and we have to do the same to Amathole and make progress. But even after we get there with bulk lines, we will be ceased with reticulation together with locals and district municipalities. It’s something that Maskana pays this time around because we have removed all the itches of procurement. These districts are now familiar with procurement of big projects,” says Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu.
Despite these interventions, communities are still battling with issues of service delivery.
“The project of water started in 2018 until to date. It’s not been completed. The contractor that was there left in 2020. Two years it was there nothing was done. We have no water,” says community leader Bulelani Mateta.
The youth used the opportunity to demand jobs.
“The state of unemployment is worrying you see in places like Mdantsane and Kwazakhele, there is high crime rate there just because the youth have much energy and really don’t know what to do with that energy so if government can provide opportunities,” says unemployed graduate Sandile Khwela.
Government has committed to address the issues raised by the communities.
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