Mashaba is a lair, claims Alexandra councillors
Ward councillors in Alexandra have accused Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba of being a liar following an interview on a local radio station where he reportedly accused them of not doing their work.
The township was on lockdown on Wednesday as residents shut down in protest against lack of service delivery.
"It is well known that Alexandra is abandoned and that Mashaba does not want anything to do with the township. This morning he said he is fixing one of the bridges which is not true. PikitUp is not doing its job like its supposed to. Now the mayor tells a local station how the previous administration neglected the township, Alex was never the way it is today, it has regressed," said Ward 116 councilor Adolf Marema.
His colleague Tefo Raphadu, the councillor of Ward 105, echoed his sentiments and added that Mashaba and the Democratic Alliance need to stop claiming the protest is sparked by political elements.
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"This is a culmination of the community's frustration, nobody can orchestrate and push them into a particular direction. We are hoping that the community will find answers from the mayor who is currently playing political football with real issues that are faced by the people."
The councillors say they have raised all the challenges affecting the township with the city and in council, but these have fallen on deaf ears.
Marema says if Mashaba does not visit Alexandra the situation may get worse.
"If he does not come, the residents of Alex will shut down and it might not just be here in Alex. If the residents close down the M1 and the N1 and march to Sandton this will have an impact on the economy. The situation here is abnormal and he needs to come here and address this.”