Newly elected councillor hits the ground… running
ALEXANDRA – Councillor Raphadu hopes to sweep clean with residents' involvement.
The proverbial saying, new broom sweeps clean, may aptly describe the newly-elected Alex councillor for Ward 105, Teffo Raphadu, if his energy carries him through the myriad of challenges facing him.
He seemed to have hit the road running when, on the eve of the councillors’ training and the Region E’s induction processes, he had to put out fires. He had to deal with the invasion by residents of Bohlabela Phase 2 flats, which was stopped by the police; the land-grab and dumping along the Jukskei River; and many bylaw infringements, including the mushrooming of shacks.
Raphadu said he is bracing himself for the challenges and hopes he will continue the positive work carried out by his predecessor. He intends collaborating with and reigniting residents’ communal interests in problem-solving, as most of the ward’s challenges derive from within when they allow others to deliberately circumvent bylaws.
He aims to tackle the challenges simultaneously through short and long-term strategies to avoid any group of residents feeling marginalised; and to encourage active involvement of the ward committee. He intends keeping an open-door policy and will remain visible as much as possible.
He identified the issuing of title deeds and proclamation by authorities of extensions 7, 8 and 9 homes in Eastbank and Tsutsumani as his immediate priorities. He added that he will also focus on the provision of reliable water sources and conversion of current toilets, as well as the construction of additional ones, compliant with health regulations. School safety, which is a constant problem for school governing bodies, residents and pupils will also be under the spotlight. “I will push for the improved and proactive operation of community policing forum members at school premises, better stipends for them and, for the Adopt-a-Cop programme to visit schools more regularly to discourage children from smuggling dangerous weapons and illegal substances, such as drugs and alcohol into schools.”
Raphadu expressed disappointment in parents’ lacklustre involvement in their children’s education. “It’s their constitutional responsibility, which is in their own interests and for the betterment of their children and families.
“They ought to take charge to enable teachers to commit to their teaching duty and not [have] to be social workers or psychologists, handling challenges which should be resolved by instilling discipline at home.”
He intends motivating health officials to explore better ways to improve health access to the ever-increasing population due to unstoppable immigration.
He is also concerned about teenage pregnancies, which he attributes to children being raised to live alone, poverty and the breakdown of family support. “Girls fall pregnant when there is a lack of parental support. They should take pride in themselves, preserve themselves and abstain from sexual intercourse until they are able to take responsibility for any consequences.
“They turn to illegal backyard abortion practitioners to avoid the shame of unwanted pregnancies and when they fail, they turn to clinics whose limited resources should be used for… medical emergencies and priorities,” he added.
He urged the relevant authorities to arrest those who endanger children’s lives and safety. He urges traditional healers not to dispense medicine to untrustworthy people and also insists that the police should protect whistle-blowers who inform them about drug peddlers who are destroying the community.
Read also: Outgoing councillor magnanimous in defeat
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