AfriForum sent a letter to the Mayor as well as the Municipal Manager of the Mangaung Metro on 18 August 2020 about poor service delivery and specifically waste removal in Bloemfontein. The correspondence comes after many residents approached AfriForum with complaints over inadequate waste removal services in the city.
In the letter, AfriForum requests the metro to submit action plans to improve service delivery.
“The law stipulates that it is the municipality’s responsibility to remove residents’ refuse once a week. At this stage the metro is neglecting to fulfil their statutory duty and AfriForum will consider further options to pressure the metro into delivering services as is required by law,” says Jaco Grobbelaar, AfriForum’s Head of Community Structures for the central region.
If the metro doesn’t act on the letter or the complaints from residents, the organisation will have to find other solutions, such as rendering this service itself.
“At this stage residents are uncertain whether or not their refuse will be removed. Sometimes services are rendered, and at other times refuse bags are left on the sidewalks for weeks after a truck breaks down or when municipal workers go on strike. The non-removal of waste has huge health risks for the community. The bags are torn open by animals, causing the waste to spread whenever the wind blows,” Grobbelaar adds.
AfriForum has granted the metro until 21 August to react on the letter and offer solutions to solve the problem.
“Residents of Bloemfontein have the right to a clean and safe environment and for that reason it is imperative that refuse is collected regularly. Tax payers are charged monthly for a service they seldom or never receive and the metro should be held accountable.”
Help AfriForum to keep the metro accountable by sending an SMS with the word “Waste” to 32688 (R1).