Five years of neglect, 702 voices demanding change
For five long years, the residents of Viljoen Street, Muller Crescent, and Ingrid Jonker Street in Extension 16 have lived with a growing crisis, one riddled with potholes deep enough to tell a story of neglect and frustration.
Ward Councillor Kim Fourie has been the voice of this community, tirelessly advocating for urgent repairs and relief.
Yet, despite multiple pleas to road assistance and municipal authorities, the situation has remained unchanged. Her latest follow-up letter, dated March 31, paints a grim picture of a neighbourhood plagued by deteriorating roads.
Residents have suffered greatly as a result of the dangerous road conditions, frequent tire replacements, significant vehicle damage – one resident lost more than R20 000 after his caravan was damaged by the harsh terrain – and community dissatisfaction, with more than 702 residents offering feedback on dissatisfaction and prior unsuccessful repair attempts.
'I pay my rates and taxes every month, and I have been complaining about these roads since 2006. This growing crisis is more than just an inconvenience – it is a failure of service delivery, a disregard for community voices, and a glaring example of municipal inefficiency. Residents aren't just asking for fixes anymore; they're demanding accountability, timelines, and action,' said Johan van der Merwe, one of the residents in Muller Crescent.
Beyond the potholes, another persistent issue aggravates the situation – A relentless flow of water that has been running non-stop for over five months.
Fourie's mounting frustration is evident as she describes the water pooling at the top of De Kock Street, continuously eating away at the road's foundation and worsening the damage.
'Absolutely mind-boggling that I'm reporting this same issue for five months!' said Fourie.
The roads of Ward 33 have been breaking apart for years, but now, the patience of its people is fracturing too.
Breaking news at your fingertips … Follow WITBANK NEWS on our website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or TikTok
Chat to us: info@witbanknews.co.za
At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
eNCA
13 hours ago
- eNCA
SIU freezes assets over R20m linked to irregular Transnet contracts
JOHANNESBURG - The Special Investigating Unit has frozen assets worth over R20-million linked to irregular Transnet contracts. The investigation targets three property valuation contracts worth 89 million rand, awarded between 2019 and 2022. The frozen assets include luxury vehicles and properties in Johannesburg's Bryanston, Fourways and Broadacres.
IOL News
15 hours ago
- IOL News
Man sentenced to four years for impersonating attorney and defrauding client
Doctor Sobetha has been sentenced for impersonating an attorney. The Bethal Magistrate's Court in Mpumalanga has sentenced a 32-year-old man to four years in prison for impersonating a lawyer and defrauding a client of R40,000. The sentence, which was handed down on Thursday, includes an option for Doctor Sobetha to pay a fine of R20,000. Provincial spokesperson, Lieutenant-Colonel Magonseni Nkosi, detailed how Sobetha had perpetrated this scam back in 2019, when he attempted to file a bail application on behalf of a client facing murder charges. During the court proceedings at that time, Nkosi noted that the state prosecutor quickly became suspicious of Sobetha's arguments. He was requested to prove before the court that indeed he was a legal practitioner but failed to produce such proof. "The Secunda based Serious Organised Crime Investigation members that were in court attended and an arrest was affected. The matter was referred to the Hawks Secunda based Serious Commercial Crime Investigation for further investigation," said Nkosi. Sobetha was granted bail in 2024, and then went on the run.
The Citizen
16 hours ago
- The Citizen
Man caught for impersonating a lawyer in Bethal, must pay back the money
Man caught for impersonating a lawyer in Bethal, must pay back the money A bogus lawyer was instructed yesterday (June 5) to pay back R40 000 that he took from a client in Bethal in 2019. Doctor Sobetha (32) who impersonated a lawyer trying to conduct a bail application for his client charged with murder, pleaded guilty in the Bethal Magistrate's Court. was sentenced to four years imprisonment with an option to pay R20 000 fine. Two of the four years were was suspended for five years on condition that he is not found guilty of a similar offense. The Mpumalanga spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), Lieutenant-Colonel Magonseni Nkosi, said the court further ordered Sobetha to pay back R40 000 that was unlawfully received from his client. He is expected to pay back the money in monthly instalments of R3 000 until the last cent is paid up. Sobetha was caught out in 2019 when the state prosecutor in the high-profile murder case picked up from his arguments that something was off. Sobetha could not provide proof when asked before court if he was indeed a legal practitioner. The Secunda based Serious Organised Crime Investigation members who were in court for the pending murder case, arrested Sobetha. The matter was referred to the Hawks Secunda-based Serious Commercial Crime Investigation for further investigation. Sobetha fled when he was granted bail in 2024. 'Investigation led members of the Hawks' Tactical Operations Management System (TOMS) to Durban, where Sobetha was arrested on May 22. 'He was brought back to Mpumalanga, where he appeared before Bethal Magistrate's Court on May 30,' said Nkosi. The case was postponed to yesterday. Nkosi said immediately after his sentence was handed down, Sobetha was rearrested for fraud committed in Moroka, Gauteng, in 2023. The Provincial Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation Major General Nico Gerber warned people to consult with registered legal advisors. 'It is concerning if people are defrauded by people like Sobetha whose formal education does not even go beyond high school level,' concluded the General. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
