Page 12 - 21 November 2025

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PAGE 12 THE REPORTER 21 NOVEMBER 2025
JOE GQABI DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY The following statement is presented as an opinion piece from ‘A

EXECUTIVE MAYOR LEADS Concerned Community Member of Boyce Nondala Location’,
and does not necessarily reflect the views of this newspaper or
SALGA WOMEN'S COMMISSION its editors. We thought it would be good for our readers to know

why the community of Boyce Nondala protested/demon-
Maletswai, 13 November 2025 – The Executive nities. strated earlier in November.
Mayor of the Joe Gqabi District Municipality Key discussions focused on
(JGDM), Councillor (Cllr) Nomvuyo Mposelwa, revisiting the gains and gaps
since the Beijing Platform for
who also serves as the National Women Boyce Nondala Community Protests
Action, tackling the scourge
Commissioner, attended the South African Local of Gender-Based Violence
Government Association (SALGA) Women's and Femicide (GBVF), Water Meter Installation
Commission (SWC) Lekgotla held on 12 and 13 exploring women's role in November 11, 2025
November 2025 at Riverside Lodge in Maletswai. political and economic
spaces, and addressing The community of Boyce Nondala Location today, indicating a profound lack of
patriarchy and tradition 11 November 2025, demonstrated against the basic infrastructure.
within rural municipalities. Boyce Nondala is identified
"As women, we tend to ongoing installation of water meter reading as a disadvantaged com-
forget where we come from devices within the area by the Joe Gqabi District munity struggling with
and we should always fight Municipality (JGDM). exceptionally high rates of
for transformation, re- unemployment and poverty.
presentation, inclusion and The protest stems from a demands to the Joe Gqabi
participation in decision- fundamental grievance District Municipality: Residents fear that the
making", Cllr Mposelwa regarding the lack of proper The Municipality must halt installation of water meters
remarked and went on to and inclusive community all installation work and will lead to billing practices
say, "when women lead, consultation prior to the immediately call a compre- that will significantly in-
communities strive". commencement of the hensive community engage- crease the rate of poverty
installation project. and financial hardship for
This gathering reaffirmed ment meeting with the already vulnerable house-
the commitment of women Community members assert residents of Boyce Nondala holds.
JGDM Executive Mayor, Cllr Nomvuyo Mposelwa in leadership to continue that the implementation has Location to discuss the
advocating for trans- proceeded without adequate project in detail. The community has issued
Joining her was the district's were stakeholders such as formation, empowerment, engagement or agreement The community demands an ultimatum to the Joe
Chief Whip, Cllr Ruth Lengs, Imbumba Yamakhosikazi and gender parity in all from the residents it affects. that Barkly East commu- Gqabi District Municipality:
Finance Portfolio Head and Akomkhulu (IYA), South spheres of governance and The community is therefore nities, including Boyce "We give the Municipality 48
District Women Commis- African Women in Dialogue society. making the following Nondala, be excluded from hours to officially disconnect
sioner, Cllr Unathi Hlathuka, (SAWID), Afsis Corplan, and the current phase of the all meter reading devices
and District Multiparty the Department of Social meter reading installation that have already been
Women Commissioner, Cllr Development. program. installed.”
Nomfundo Mabunu. Held under the theme Should the Municipality fail
The Lekgotla brought "Breaking Barriers of The Municipality is urged to to comply with this request,
begin this program in areas
together National and Patriarchy and the Triple such as Mount Fletcher and residents will be forced to
Provincial SALGA officials, Oppression of Women as Sterkspruit, which the take action to disconnect the
members of the Provincial Gender, Class and Race, 30 community views as better meters themselves.
Executive Committee (PEC), Years After the Beijing equipped to handle the This is a peaceful call for the
women councillors in- Platform for Change," the implications of the new Municipality to acknowledge
cluding Mayors, Speakers, Lekgotla served as a system. the unique socio-economic
Municipal Managers, Direc- platform to unite women distress of Boyce Nondala
tors, and officials from both leaders and reflect on the The residents cite severe and engage meaningfully
District and Local Munici- progress made in advancing socio-economic challenges be fo re i m pl e m e nti ng
palities across the Eastern gender equality within local as the primary reason for measures that could further
Cape. Also in attendance government and commu- demanding exclusion: disadvantage its residents.
The community is still Issued by: A Concerned
heavily reliant on the "bucket Community Member of
system" for sanitation, Boyce Nondala Location

Editor’s footnote: Destruction of municipal
property is a serious offence in South Africa,
punishable under law. The South African
Constitution guarantees the right to protest, but
also emphasizes the importance of doing so
peacefully and lawfully.