HARRISMITH - Service delivery is "a nonexistent entity in Harrismith", according to the Chairperson of Water Heroes (Formerly Harrismith Crisis Committee), Willem Konig.
Willem Konig was speaking to Zahid Jadwat on The Special Focus when he suggested that every councillor of the municipality resign.
Since the election of former mayor Vusi Tshabalala, all hell seems to have broken loose. The municipality has been placed under administration after Tshabalala's ousting which was based on corruption allegations. Dubbed by the Democratic Alliance as a "gangster" mayor, Vusi Tshabalala is implicated in claims of state capture and corruption alongside former Free State Premier and now ANC Secretary General Ace Magashule. Water Heroes, which is headed by Willem Konig, has had to effectively play the role of the municipality in the delivery of basic services. Konig said that local businessman Petrus Van Eden has spent more than R4 million to ensure that basic services like water and electricity are available. According to Konig, local businesses have donated plastic bags and the community have volunteered to provide services. Willem Konig also claimed that only 15% of rates had been collected in February 2019. This was apparently due to alleged corruption within the rates collection department. However, Water Heroes is running out of funds to provide services. According to Konig, the municipality had indicated that they will pay the organisation within 14 days for services rendered, however this hasn't been done as yet. Listen to the podcast of the full interview below.
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AuthorZahid Jadwat is a South African writer, columnist, podcaster and radio show host. Archives
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