ANC Ward Councilor, Mahomed Essop and ANC Ward candidate councilor, Naeem Patel together with ANC-PR candidate councilor, Shanaaz Waseem, accompanied Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Barbara Creecy, to various locations in Laudium, Erasmia and Itireleng this past Saturday, (Sept 25), as part of the Presidential Campaign trail.
During her visit, Minister Creecy stopped over at the ANC campaign office in Erasmia, where she also met a number of leaders from the community, including independent Ward candidate, Thushan Padayachee. The Minister also met residents across the board and a group of Laudium Ext 3 residents, at the home of Ahmed Hasware on Kathmandu Street where Ward 61 campaign activist of Action SA (ASA) Yusuf Ismail, was also present. Wearing a “Vote for Naeem Patel”, T-shirt, the Minister also did a walk-about in Laudium and in Itireleng, hearing first hand from residents, what their main concerns were, in their area.
With the previous week being the height of the water crises in Laudium, this was on the top of the list of concerns of residents, followed by crime and pollution (including noise). Cllr Essop, Naeem and Shanaaz requested the Minister to intervene in the water matter and call Water Minister Senzo Mchunu, to help resolve the ongoing issue of no water for 7 days, facing the community.
Minister Creecy immediately got on the phone to Minister Senzo Mchunu, to inform him about the situation and requested immediate assistance from his Department. Minister Senzo explained to Minister Creecy that he had also received a call from Minister Pravin Gordan and other politicians concerning the water crises in Laudium and surrounds and that according to information he received, the problem was with the Tshwane Council, as they had not finished the project of installing a new pipe linking to the Laudium reservoir. Minister Senzo, also said that he had instructed all role players in the matter to give the water crises in Laudium their top priority. State President Ramaphosa also mentioned the crises in Laudium, during the ANC’s party manifesto launch in Pretoria, this past Monday.
Water was restored to the area shortly after the Minister’s call. Minister Creecy also visited areas where residents and businesses had complained about rubbish being dumped, in various parts of Laudium, which was not only unsightly, but also posed a health risk.
Following the Minister’s engagement with the community, Tshwane Waste Management trucks were visible the next morning, (Sunday), cleaning up the area.
“Minister Creecy’s visit was positively received by the community and she has shown that she gets things done”, said Mishka Sattar from the local ANC branch. Amani Mohammed Alli of Erasmia said, “I’m glad that the Minister came to Ward 61. At first I thought that she was coming just to campaign and it would be just all talk, but hearing her phone call with the Minister of Water Affairs, and water resuming soon thereafter and the rubbish being collected the next day, made me realize that we need to vote for a candidate like Naeem Patel, who is honest and cares for the people, but at the same time who has access to the relevant ministers. That is important for me.” Another resident, Muhammed Essack of Erasmia, told the Laudium Sun, “After listening to Minister Creecy, I believe that there are still some good people in cabinet, who stand against corruption and I now believe there is hope for the country.”
