South Africans living in rural villages are industrious people who defy many odds to get by daily in the face of limited resources at their disposal. While some households receive financial support from family members working in cities, others must carve out a living through sheer determination.
Regardless of their economic circumstances, rural communities share a common need for essential services – primarily water supply and road infrastructure – provided by local municipalities.
The local municipality is their immediate port of call for access to these basic amenities. However, as highlighted in our front-page story yesterday, rural communities are often short-changed by local authorities, forcing residents to use whatever means they have to secure solutions.
In Dennilton, Limpopo, two villages frustrated by years of inaction by the Elias Motsoaledi municipality, decided to pool their meagre resources and raised funds to build the bridge after repeated claims that there was no budget for the project. The bridge – crucial for accessing schools, shopping centres, and other services – was finally completed through community-led fundraising. It was officially opened at a ceremony that was both emotional and colourful.
This spirit of self-reliance is echoed in the story of Mlungisi Maseko from Mpumalanga. Maseko used R1.3m from his Road Accident Fund payout to remove the yolk of daily struggle for water from his community by starting and completing a water supply infrastructure.
Thanks to his efforts, the residents of Mooiplaas in Chief Albert Luthuli municipality have a reliable water supply at their home. Maseko's generosity has not gone unnoticed. He is set to be honoured for his selflessness at an awards ceremony to be held in Pretoria on Friday.
Rural municipalities often complain about working with limited budgets due to low revenue collection rates. However, they receive state grants primarily through the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) and other infrastructure-related grants.
We do not suggest the municipalities are doing nothing for rural communities, but they stand accused of wasteful tendencies. The auditor-general's reports for Chief Albert Luthuli for successive financial years from 2018/2019 to 2022/2023 showed a total of R47.8m in fruitless and wasteful expenditure by the municipality. Its irregular expenditure bill for the same period totalled R1,3bn.
The Elias Motsoaledi municipality has for years been marked by wasteful expenditure, corruption [which in 2023 led to the arrest of former municipal manager Minah Maredi], and unlawful investment into the fallen VBS Mutual Bank.
Cut down the graft and uplift the lives of rural folks.
SOWETAN SAYS | Rural councils must cut graft, uplift villagers
Image: SINO MAJANGAZA
South Africans living in rural villages are industrious people who defy many odds to get by daily in the face of limited resources at their disposal. While some households receive financial support from family members working in cities, others must carve out a living through sheer determination.
Regardless of their economic circumstances, rural communities share a common need for essential services – primarily water supply and road infrastructure – provided by local municipalities.
The local municipality is their immediate port of call for access to these basic amenities. However, as highlighted in our front-page story yesterday, rural communities are often short-changed by local authorities, forcing residents to use whatever means they have to secure solutions.
In Dennilton, Limpopo, two villages frustrated by years of inaction by the Elias Motsoaledi municipality, decided to pool their meagre resources and raised funds to build the bridge after repeated claims that there was no budget for the project. The bridge – crucial for accessing schools, shopping centres, and other services – was finally completed through community-led fundraising. It was officially opened at a ceremony that was both emotional and colourful.
This spirit of self-reliance is echoed in the story of Mlungisi Maseko from Mpumalanga. Maseko used R1.3m from his Road Accident Fund payout to remove the yolk of daily struggle for water from his community by starting and completing a water supply infrastructure.
Thanks to his efforts, the residents of Mooiplaas in Chief Albert Luthuli municipality have a reliable water supply at their home. Maseko's generosity has not gone unnoticed. He is set to be honoured for his selflessness at an awards ceremony to be held in Pretoria on Friday.
Rural municipalities often complain about working with limited budgets due to low revenue collection rates. However, they receive state grants primarily through the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) and other infrastructure-related grants.
We do not suggest the municipalities are doing nothing for rural communities, but they stand accused of wasteful tendencies. The auditor-general's reports for Chief Albert Luthuli for successive financial years from 2018/2019 to 2022/2023 showed a total of R47.8m in fruitless and wasteful expenditure by the municipality. Its irregular expenditure bill for the same period totalled R1,3bn.
The Elias Motsoaledi municipality has for years been marked by wasteful expenditure, corruption [which in 2023 led to the arrest of former municipal manager Minah Maredi], and unlawful investment into the fallen VBS Mutual Bank.
Cut down the graft and uplift the lives of rural folks.
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