Latest news with #WisemanKhumalo
The Citizen
09-05-2025
- General
- The Citizen
Unkempt pavements and parks leave Mbombela residents gatvol
Residents are still gatvol with the City of Mbombela's (CoM) inability to deliver on their promised Service Delivery Drive (SDD). Overgrown public parks and pavements, unpruned trees and unkempt grass have still not been attended to. Litter is also a major problem and residents fear criminal attacks will increase as a result of uncleared vegetation. Residents of Wilger, Palm, Alibama, Delta and Wolfaard streets, as well as those residing in certain sections of Dr Enos Mabuza Drive, complained that the CoM is ignoring their repeated requests for service delivery. ALSO READ: Local news City of Mbombela in hot water for alleged corruption Despite paying rates and taxes, residents are now banding together to clean their streets themselves. The unused area at the cemetery has deteriorated even further than ever before. Homeless people have moved in, making fires and leaving loads of litter behind. The park at the top of Polvy Street has become dangerous, with people consuming alcohol there and dumping the empty bottles. Despite these complaints, the CoM's municipal manager, Wiseman Khumalo, insists that litter removal, tree pruning and grass clearing are ongoing. ALSO READ: Gatvol kick-starts City of Mbombela's Service Delivery Drive 'Our municipality is servicing 45 wards, some without roads or water. We are aware that the residents complain because they are paying their taxes and rates. We are doing our best to attend to all with limited resources.' He also reiterated that the SDD is accelerating services and all wards are prioritised. According to him streetlights are being repaired and potholes are going to be attended to. 'Grass will not stop growing, but will be attended to. The litter its beyond our control because we have placed dustbins in hotspot areas, but people are ignoring them. We take responsibility to collect them. Our community members need to come on board and stop littering. I must admit that we have been slow in pruning trees, but we are now attending to them. People need to understand that we serve many, not only those in Mbombela. All we ask from residents is to be patient with us,' he said. Khumalo encouraged the CoM's residents to use available platforms to submit their complaints. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
22-04-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Service Delivery Drive tackles issues in wards 18 and 19
Tekwane South, Ntokozweni and KaNyamazane are next in line on the Service Delivery Drive (SDD). The City of Mbombela's (CoM) campaign to accelerate service delivery is moving to wards 18, 19, 20 and 21. The CoM concluded its work in Mataffin, Rocky Drift and Msholozi (Ward 14), eMbonisweni and Backdoor (Ward 38). It lasted three weeks as rain disrupted the process. However, some residents in these areas claim that not all the potholes had been repaired and the gravel roads were not attended to. Another common grievance is not receiving the water they had been promised. One of the huge potholes in Wilkens Street in Rocky Drift is still an eyesore despite numerous requests from residents and ward councillors for it to be fixed. They were hoping it would receive special attention during the SDD. The CoM's municipal manager, Wiseman Khumalo, said the SDD started in wards 18 and 19 on Monday, April 14. Roads were gravelled and a blocked culvert cleaned. Potholes are being patched in KaMagugu, the road in Ntokozweni was regravelled, and faulty streetlights in Valencia's Fuschia Street, Ngwenya Street in KaMagugu and Dr Enos Mabuza Drive are being addressed. ALSO READ: Gatvol West Acres residents demand immediate action We are also going to cut grass in the public parks, roadsides and cemeteries. Inspections of fire hydrants on streets and in complexes are to be done. We are also going to work on road markings, traffic signs and signals. Enforcing the by-laws will be a top priority regarding illegal traders and illegal dumping, just to name a few,' he said. Khumalo said priority lists were compiled by ward councillors. 'The municipality's responsibility is to make it happen by attending to their issues during the campaign and after.' He also dismissed allegations that the CoM did not give its full attention to wards 14 and 38. The CoM shifted its attention to wards 20 and 21 this week. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
