Klerksdorp Record, Klerksdorp - An undelivered batch of Matlosana Municipal statements found thrown away in La Hoff caused an uproar last week on social media.
A young man, Mkhulo Piet Kewana arrived at Klerksdorp Record’s office on Friday morning August 15 with more than a handful of closed envelopes that he discovered on a “dumping site’’ next to the road close to the Portuguese Hall.
He knows that people contracted by the municipality are paid to deliver these statements to mailboxes in the area. He walked to our office with the package because he didn’t know what to do with it.
As an unemployed youth, Kewana was angry. “That totally means people who are hired to do the job are not interested and don’t respect their job. I stay in Tigane and is unemployed. Still seeking for work.’’
Klerksdorp Record posted his photo on our Facebook page where residents responded in anger. Matshediso Nkhatho said the last statement she received was last month and that it was for April. “The City of Matlosana needs to really treat us better.’’
Councillor Jacky Basson (DA) came to our office to pick up the envelopes. “Thank you for bringing this to my attention. It’s very shocking but totally expected. I have retrieved the statements and will be reporting to the Municipal Manager, and hope for a better outcome.’’
An unidentified person from the municipality also called, telling the editor that they would investigate why the envelopes, all for ward 16, were dumped.
Klerksdorp Record were told that people are employed by the municipality to deliver these statements. “They get paid a stipend but workers complain that the stipend often does not get paid on time. This makes them angry and I suppose that is why they throw it away. Also, the municipality still pay the post office a monthly amount for postal services, yet they make use of workers to deliver these statements. It just doesn’t make sense.’’
Earlier last week, Cllr Basson reported that residents in her ward’s water and electricity were disconnected without proper notice. Some of the disconnections were not fair where residents’ accounts were paid up.
“No resident should lose essential services without clear evidence, proper investigation, and written communication. We also discovered that no disconnection list were compiled so that begs the question, what happened here?’’
