Kuils River residents say service delivery is key for the vision they have for their communities.
This comes as they get ready to elect a new Ward 19 councillor on Wednesday November 13.
The by-election follows the death of Kuils River councillor Ricardo Saralina who suffered a severe stroke on Saturday August 31 and had his life support switched off the following day (“Farewell, councillor”, Northern News, September 4).
Ward 19 is split into seven areas which each face various challenges.
They include Highbury, Highbury Park, Kalkfontein, Sarepta, Kuils River Common, Stellendale, Wembley Park and Wesbank.
Highbury Ratepayers’ and Residents’ Association (HIRRA) chairman, Edmund Duplooy, said it was important to have a councillor who would listen to the community and focus on its service delivery needs.
“HIRRA has already handed over a memorandum to Sub-council 21, tabling our concerns and needs in the communities of Highbury and Highbury Park and we expect that whoever is the lucky winner of this ward will not take our interests lightly but will support us,” he said.
Mr Duplooy said the street lights were old and dim and needed to be replaced. He added that cattle from the farms which crossed the streets, caused unnecessary traffic.
But the main concern, he said, is the development of parks because “children have no place to play.”
“The Excelsior Park is currently a piece of open land with a board which names the park but there is no equipment for our children to play on,” he said.