Fed-up pensioners fix damaged road
2013-01-22 10:59
Johannesburg - Pensioners from the Zozo location in East London fixed a
damaged road after the municipality failed to do so, it was reported on
Tuesday.
The Dispatch Online reported that the pensioners fixed a 2km road leading to
two villages after taxi and ambulance drivers threatened not to travel into the
area because of the bad state of the road.
Around 800 people live in the area.
Village chairperson Malinge Nqumama told the news website the road had not
been maintained in over two years.
"We decided at a community meeting the future of our village lies with
us... We can either sit and complain or roll up our sleeves and do
something," he said.
Pensioner Elliot Tikini, 72, said he stood to benefit from his hard labour.
"My body cannot take this workload, but I have to assist in fixing the
road because I do not want to walk 5km just to catch a taxi," he was
quoted as saying.
Municipal officials told the Dispatch Online it was not their intention to
neglect the village.
Francois van Dalen, from the municipality's community services department,
said the municipality had only one grader and that it broke down last year.
"We took [it] in for repairs and when it was returned last week, the
blade failed to work. We have made arrangements for the blade to be
fixed," he said.
- SAPA
