Mamadimo Park streets in Ward 25 outside Mankweng, Limpopo, get flooded whenever it rains. Photo by Mankaleme Thema
MAMADIMO Park residents in Ward 25 want answers.
This following calls for Limpopo provincial government and Polokwane Local Municipality to intervene in what residents call “a decade-long of flooding headache” in their area.
They want Polokwane Mayor John Makoro Mphe to respond to these calls.
Mphe visited Mamadimo Park on Wednesday, 15 January, accompanied by Ward 25 Councillor Herman Ngoasheng.
The mayor emphasised that Mamadimo Park residents forced to live at that area.
“People in Mamadimo and Moremadi Park have been severely affected by the recent heavy rains. But we want to make it clear that Mamadimo Park resident forced to build here even after they were warned by the provincial government, the Department of Co-operative-governance, Polokwane Municipality and other stakeholders including Eskom. We made it clear from the onset that this place is uninhabitable. Go swana le ge motho a aga ka nokeng! (It’s like a person building in a river),” Mphe said.
“As government, we’re going to hold discussions with our provincial and national governments, particularly the South African National Road Agency to build storm water systems along the R71 road. This will also help other areas such Mentz Village, Badimong and other areas that get affected by overflowing water along the R71. However, on the issue of Mamadimo Park, people decided to build where they’re not supposed to. Most of them signed indemnity forms when they started building declaring that they occupy this space at their own risk.”
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Residents said they are not surprised by Mphe’s utterances.
“This is not the first time we’re told we were not supposed to build here. When they’re supposed to help us, they start playing the blame game. We’ve never signed any indemnity forms that he’s talking about. No one knows anything about those forms,” said resident Matome Mathekga (46).
Another resident, France Moraswi, said: “Firstly, the mayor didn’t visit Mamadimo Park. He visited the R71 because he also uses the road when going home. He wanted to assess the situation for himself not for us. He also lied by saying institutions such as Eskom warned us not to stay, because we have electricity from the very same Eskom.”
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