Participate in ward affairs, advises councillor
ALEXANDRA – Be intimate with ward affairs for your own benefit.
Alex councillor Adolph Marema urged residents to know their councillors, their roles and to be intimate with their development issues.
Marema of Ward 116 made the call as he laboured with an avalanche of residents mostly seeking letters of proof of residence. “Other issues include housing conflicts and dilapidating houses, water and sewage problems and rates,” Marema said in the presence of this reporter as the restive service seekers also from other wards popped into his and other colleagues’ offices at the Multi Purposes Centre on 8th Avenue.
“Knowing your councillor is tantamount to knowing your home, easing your access to service delivery, taking an active part in your development issues and ensuring the election into power, people with your interest at heart,” he said.
“Being indifferent will one day result in you electing anybody regardless of their interest and knowledge of local circumstances and challenges.”
He urged residents to attend and participate actively at ward meetings to get in-depth knowledge about the township, its history and challenges. “Many of you don’t know the cause of Alex’s housing problems,” he said singling out an impasse in the resolution of private land and property claims as part of the reasons.
He also referred to the apparent ‘inaction’ of the city council law enforcement unit in stopping the illegal construction of shacks on claimed properties. The problems, he added, compounded into other challenges, and led to corruption with some residents taking advantage by partitioning and selling land which was not theirs, to anyone desperate.
“Residents who are well informed will not fall prey to scrupulous imposters and corrupt tendencies including some officials who sell RPD houses to non-citizens and to others who develop several houses into double storeys for rental claiming to lessen housing desperation.”
He added that the absence of by-law enforcement allowed anyone to do as they pleased with no regard to the interest of others and the community. “Hence the poor quality of structures which are dangerous to the unsuspecting owner and neighbours. Legitimate owners of the property under development should be guided by approved development plans and take occupancy of a structure that has been passed by a relevant authority.”
