Update

GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - There have been problems with timeous refuse removal in Graaff-Reinet for months, with allegedly erratic collections over the holiday period, and these came to a head in the last week.

Last Tuesday 7 January, the municipality issued a statement on their facebook page in the morning that no refuse removal would be done that day due to “challenges with the service delivery trucks”. 

With no more detailed explanation, this elicited many unfavourable responses from residents, several suggesting that bakkies or tractors and trailers could at least be used to make a start on the task. It is unclear whether any other method of communication with the community, such as loudhailing, was used, but as was pointed out, not everyone has access to facebook.

Later that afternoon, a further post promised that refuse would be collected the following morning, Wednesday. Residents were told that, due to the backlog, there would be three vehicles in operation, and a schedule was given naming areas that would be covered.

On Thursday, a further notice was issued giving areas that would be serviced that day, but as one resident commented, the refuse was not even collected from all the areas scheduled the previous day.

That evening, some disgruntled residents decided that they had had enough, and black bags full of rubbish were dumped at the entrance to the municipal offices in Church Street. 

Acting Media Liaison Officer Edwardine Abader told the Advertiser “A notice was issued on our facebook page, that dumping of refuse at Municipal buildings is viewed as illegal dumping and transgressors will be fined as prescribed in our by-laws.”

How the culprits will be identified is not clear, as it is quite possible that the rubbish left at the offices did not come from the perpetrators’ own homes.

No response was forthcoming as to the nature of the challenges experienced by the municipality’s fleet, despite specific questions posed by the Advertiser about possible vehicle breakdown, poor maintenance, or lack of fuel.

Members of the DA caucus in council are very concerned about the lack of effective communication and transparency from the municipality.

“It is about time that the ruling party with its administration come clean and inform residents of the situation in the municipality,” said DA caucus leader Cllr Danie Bezuidenhout. 

“Residents do not deserve the treatment they are experiencing at the moment, and DA councillors are as frustrated as residents by the lack of service delivery.”

Bezuidenhout pointed out that DA councillors have been active in assisting where possible to alleviate the situation, but find it difficult to get answers from the management team. “We want to be part of the solution to our problems, but that requires that we be informed about the challenges that exist,” he added.

He concluded that tough decisions would have to be taken if the municipality hopes to ever return to normality, adding that discipline would have to be enforced and leadership needs to be shown.