Mixed reactions as SDM Mayor marks 100 Days in Office

SEKHUKHUNE

In many parts of the country, mayor’s first hundred days in office are seen as a critical period for setting a tone and agenda for their administration. During this time, mayors often announce new initiatives, appoint key staff members and begin implementing campaign promises.

However, there are mixed reactions from opposition political parties in Sekhukhune District Municipality (SDM), as Executive Mayor Cllr Minah Bahula recently completed her hundred days in office since her inauguration in November last year.

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Chairperson in Sekhukhune Region, Matome Maloba, who is also Councillor in SDM, stated that Baula’s 100 days action plan was not inclusive and her priorities were not clear, except that she was more focusing on infrastructure development.

“Between the month of June and November 2024, various communities, especially in Dennilton and Burgersfort, experienced high level of house breakings. Most tried to engage with her office for intervention unfortunately they didn’t respond and the communities are still waiting for the response,” he said.

Maloba indicated that due to high rate of stock theft in the region, the EFF believe that there is a need for establishment of a special unit within SDM offices under safety and security, which might help black farmers who continue to be the victims.

“The other concern we have is implementation of by-laws unlawful street vending along the R25 Road outside Groblersdal. We have stalls which were build some months ago and to date those stalls are still unoccupied leading the community to continue erecting illegal structures both local and district municipality are very quiet as if they are not existing, in the absence of leadership, communities will lead themselves,” Maloba said.

Maloba emphasized that the party has taken into consideration the ruthless high volumes of GBV cases in the region, and see a need for Bahula to establish a dedicated department with qualified researchers, social workers, legal advisor and councillors to fight the scourge.

Maloba told Sekhukhune Times that EFF insists that Bahula should also consider addressing issues marred abandoned water projects, which were left incomplete by the previous municipal administration.

The abandoned projects include Ga-Mogashoa Reservoir, Kgaphamadi Boreholes, Groblersdal Purification Plant, Moutse West Bulk Water Project, Ga-Selala Bulk Water Project, Moutse Draught Relief Project and Moutse Bulk Water Project.

“The ongoing Elandsdoring Internal Reticulation is also facing challenges. The project was supposed to be completed this month but to date the project remains at 60 percent completion because the contractor does not rehabilitate the damaged municipal infrastructure,” said Maloba.

However, according to Maloba, despite that some areas need serious intervention, the executive mayor has tried to close the gap by improving performance MIG spending, which was below 20% before her arrival.

Bolsheviks Party of South Africa (BPSA) Leader and Councillor in SDM, Seun Mogotji, told the paper that the party is far from satisfied with the snail’s pace in certain aspects of Bahula’s performance, but they are comforted by the stability that she has brought to the municipality.

“Unlike her predecessors, we have seen her engaging with traditional leaders who are major stakeholders and custodians of our communities. We have also seen her addressing the water shortage issue through boreholes and she was actively involved in the Moutse Water Reticulation Project,”

Mogotji said in the hundred days that Bahula has occupied the office, the party is impressed that the municipality’s spending has improved to above average, with key appointments been made.

“We can only get better from here under her leadership,” he said.

Social Agenda of Dispossessed Africans (SADA) President, Aubrey Ngwatle, lamented that there is no intervention by Bahula since her arrival in areas like Praktiseer on issue of water, stating that the municipality can generate revenue if water is supplied on daily basis.

“Mooihoek water supply can be upgraded to supply water in many villages around Tubatse such as Praktiseer, Mabocha, Driekop, Riba Cross, Motodi, Makofane, Bothashoek and other areas,” he said.

Ngwatle said it is very unfortunate that in her 100 years in office, the municipality still failed to persuade National Minister of Water and Sanitation to expropriate land in Ohrigstad and Burgersfort, which have water sources on behalf of the municipality as empowered by Section 64.

“We wish the executive mayor can be brave enough to persuade the minister to expropriate those water sources as it is the matter of public interests,” he said.