Middelburg – The two vacant positions in the ward committee of Newtown, Ward 17 in the Steve Tshwete Municipality, have become a cause for concern for the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).
This was highlighted during a special council sitting held on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, at the council chamber.
The vacancies arose after Tsietsi Maake of the EFF was removed for missing three consecutive scheduled meetings without submitting an apology, while Binah Mahlangu of the ANC passed away in 2022.
According to EFF councillor Thabiso Tshoane, the interests of Newtown – including matters affecting the ward – are not being represented because the committee is currently non-functional, hence the urgent need to fill the vacant positions.
“We understand that this issue creates instability in the ward,” Tshoane told council.
Tshoane further raised concerns over communication breakdowns related to service delivery, saying councillors are often left in the dark about progress on critical municipal matters such as water pipe repairs and electricity issues.
“This lack of communication leads to frustration among residents who, in turn, vent their anger at the councillors, who often become victims of verbal and physical abuse,” he said.
He added that there have also been reports of municipal workers, particularly technicians, being physically attacked, and incidents of community infrastructure being vandalised.
Tshoane proposed that council speaker Thato Mathunyane expedite the process to elect new candidates to fill the vacant positions.
“Filling the existing ward committee vacant positions will help restore order and improve communication between the municipality and the residents,” he said.
Speaker Mathunyane told Highveld Chronicle that Ward 17 is currently undergoing a relocation programme, which had delayed the election of new ward committee members.
“So it was mainly difficult to elect ward committee members as it is elected on the basis of the different areas within the ward. However, the Speaker has instructed his department to conduct the elections of Ward Committee Members that are vacant in all 29 wards across the municipality,” he said.
The council concluded its business with a renewed call for improved communication, urgent ward committee appointments, and a collaborative approach to resolving service delivery challenges.
