Residents of extension 3X in the Thabo Mpempe informal community near Lichtenburg, North West, have criticized the African National Congress (ANC) for failing to address a leadership crisis at the Ditsobotla Local Municipality.
This comes after claims that the local municipality staged simultaneous council meetings on Wednesday.
Residents claim that the disagreements are interfering with service delivery.
John Mogatlha, a local, accused the ruling party of neglecting them.
“Our leaders fail us. They only know us during elections time, when they want positions. Immediately when they get to the top, they completely forget about us.
“They promised us electricity years ago. Yet we still don’t have it. We also don’t have water and toilets. Who would have thought that a person of my old age would still live in a shack? I’ve given up on this ANC,” Mokgatlha said.
Another resident, George More said the ongoing squabbles at the municipality deny them basic services.
“ANC’s political battles affect us negatively. They are fighting for their titles there. That is the only thing that they focused on. They don’t care about us, the community. Their squabbles affect us because we don’t get service delivery at all,” said More.
The ANC’s Interim Provincial Committee spokesperson ,Kenny Morolong condemned the situation at the municipality.
“We call on all our public representatives in the Ditsobotla Local Municipal Council to disabuse themselves from all forms of maleficent associated with convening council meetings. As these meetings are regulated by the statutes governing local government. We are perturbed by the divisions in the ANC municipal caucus, and the organisation is seized with the matter.
“We will, in due course, express ourselves on this development and the next cause of action,” Morolong said.
Attempts to get a reaction from the Ditsobotla Local Municipality have failed.