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4 www.potchefstroomherald.co.za Potchefstroom Herald 19 Julie 2018

Let us all participate in good

faith and lend a helping hand

To celebrate Madiba’s life, we need to the nation we envisioned at the start * Madiba loved children and worked
stay true to his ideals, including his of our democracy. The centenary will tirelessly for a better life for them, espe-
unwavering commitment to justice, be marked with a year-long series of cially those who were left vulnerable.
equality and a non-racial South Afri- awareness, educational, celebratory He wanted all young people to have
ca. All South Africans have a respon- and legacy commemoration events. It access to a first-class primary educa-
sibility to promote freedom and de- will build up to the main centenary tion and quality healthcare that protec-
fend our democracy in honour of Ma- celebration on 18 July 2018 which is ted them against preventable diseases.
diba’s life-long commitment to these former President Nelson Mandela’s South Africa today has progressive
ideals. birthday. policies and programmes in place to
During his inauguration on 10 As a municipality, we will be hos- ensure that the rights of children are
May 1994, Madiba outlined his ting a series of events to celebrate the protected such as the following:
vision for South Africa. He said: ‘We centenary of a giant of the struggle * Early Childhood Development as a
enter into a covenant that we shall under the theme: ‘Be The Legacy’. way of reducing inter-generational po-
build the society in which all South The main activity will be at the Ika- verty.
Africans, both black and white, will geng Day Care Centre of Concern at * The Bill of Rights in the Constitu- Mayor Kgotso Khumalo
be able to walk tall, without any fear the Methodist Church. All employees tion specifically curbs maltreatment,
in their hearts, assured of their ina- will roll up their sleeves by cleaning, neglect, abuse or degradation. * The Sexual Offences and Rela-
lienable right to human dignity – a painting, fixing the ablution blocks * The Children’s Act creates an enab- ted Matters Amendment Act for
rainbow nation at peace with itself and handing over educational mate- ling environment for a comprehensive crimes against children.
and the world.’ rial, among other things. child care and protection system for Let us all participate in good
The 100-year anniversary of his Madiba’s love for children re- South Africa. faith and lend a helping hand to
birth is an opportunity to recommit minds us that they are the future of * The Child Justice Act for children better our communities, especially
ourselves to his principles and build our nation. in conflict with the law. the poor.

Criminal charges looming for J.B. Marks after DA

parliamentarian conducts sewage spillage oversight

Selogile Leshage pality is neglecting them and we must ons. ‘This is a maintenance problem, ted. He also recommended that the
lay criminal charges.’ they are supposed to maintain and cle- houses should be linked to the sewer
The severity of the sewer spillage in ‘One resident resorted to relocating an the sewer lines.’ to stop the spillage from the area and
Ikageng has prompted the Democratic as the sewage spilt directly into his He offered the municipality more give the people dignity.
Alliance’s (DA) shadow minister for shack and the stench was unbearable. solutions, including the completion of Read more and watch the video of
water and sanitation, Leon Basson to Residents in Ext. 11 also told the DA the R12 million project and ensuring Leon Basson on www.potchefstroom-
come from parliament and conduct an that the roads in the area are inaccessi- that the lines are open and are connec- herald.co.za.
investigation into and oversight of the ble because of the spillage
crisis in Ikageng on Monday. and, when they get sick, the
Basson says the DA will lay charges ambulances have difficulty
against the mayor, Kgotso Khumalo accessing the neighbour-
and municipal manager, Cyril Henry, hood. The police are also
for allowing residents to live in inhu- unable to monitor the area,
mane, undignified conditions due to which makes it an easy tar-
the ongoing sewage spill in Ikageng. He get for criminal activity,’
says they will also ask the minister of said Basson.
water and sanitation, Gugile Nkwinti, ‘The worse part is that
to immediately intervene and ensure the municipality has spent
that the sewage spill is fixed. ‘The DA R12 million on the project
will also look into the possibility of lay- and nothing has improved
ing charges at the Human Rights Com- for the community,’ he said.
mission,’ he said. The Herald previously
Basson told the Herald the situation reported that the municipa-
is very bad and is evident wherever the lity blames people who
ANC governs. throw objects into manho-
I have not seen any dignity today les for the blockage of the
He added that living next to a sewer sewer lines.
plant is a health risk. ‘There are high Community will not en-
E. Coli levels that could affect the danger their own lives
health of people and children in this Basson was furious, say-
area. It’s unacceptable. The slogan for ing he could not understand
the department of water and sanita- how the municipality could
tion is ‘water is life and dignity’. I have claim that people would
not seen any dignity today. The people sabotage the lines so they
are suffering because the ANC munici- could live in these conditi- Some of the children who played in the rubbish dump that is next to a raw sewage spillage.

DA is playing to the gallery before elections, says ANC

Selogile Leshage ANC. They have come out of poverty, lations to the funding. This clearly due to budgetary constraints, the
have shelter over their heads, roads shows that we have a plan in place to whole network could not be upgra-
The ANC in J.B. Marks has reduced and schools. Those in need receive free eradicate the sewer spillage,’ she said. ded. The department of technical
the sewage spillage investigation by basic services like electricity, water, re- ‘It must be noted, however, that spil- services has compiled a detailed re-
Leon Basson, the DA shadow minis- fuse removal and many others. We note lage and maintenance are an ongoing port on the upgrading of the sewer
ter for water and sanitation to an act the sewer spillage challenges that the operational matter that the depart- network in Ikageng and this report
of playing to the gallery before the community is facing as our township ment of technical services deals with on will serve before the council in due
2019 elections. expands. We have inherited an apart- a case to case basis, as and when the course.
The ANC whip in the municipali- heid legacy of dilapidated asbestos in- community reports incidents. It is, ‘We suggest that the municipality,
ty, Mpho Matsapola says the ANC is frastructure that is over 60 years old.’ therefore, difficult to put time frames through the correct platform, under-
the leader of society and the only The municipality needs over one to the eradication of the spillage. takes an awareness campaign to
party that cares for the community billion to upgrade ‘We must also point out that the spil- educate the community about the ef-
it leads. Matsapola says the municipality lage is often caused by foreign objects fects of throwing foreign objects into
‘Even the timing shows that the needs over one billion rand to upgrade that people throw into the sewer sy- the sewer system.
DA is playing to the gallery and eve- the entire system to PVC (polyvinyl stem,’ she emphasised. ‘Once again, we remind the com-
ryone knows that all they are trying chloride). ‘I can state that the ANC go- Municipal solutions to mitigate the munity to make sure that they use
to do is gain the confidence of the vernment is negotiating with investors problems the correct numbers when reporting
ANC strongholds in the run-up to the to give us funding to upgrade our sy- Matsapola says the municipality has the spills. We have a 24-hour call
2019 elections,’ she said. stems. Those talks are at an advanced already upgraded part of the sewer net- centre at the disaster management
‘Our people are not blind; they stage and the community will be kept work in Ikageng Ext. 11 and has thus buildings. The number is 018 299
know that their only hope is the informed on all the developments in re- alleviated some of the blockages. ‘But, 5347,’ she advised.