Sharon Henen, Brooklyn
This letter is in response to last week’s lead story (“Killings bring Brooklyn to the brink,” Tabletalk, June 7).
The DA is very quick to point fingers at the ANC. Well, here's a news flash for you: the majority of Ward 55 voters are beyond gatvol of your poor service delivery. Come 2024, don't be surprised should you go the same way as the ANC.
The DA has become arrogant, complacent and too big for their boots. They think it's in the bag they will never loose the Western Cape. You know the old saying "never say never".
Brooklyn has become a slum, a gangsters’ paradise. One step away from becoming another Hillbrow. Main Road is an absolute disgrace, run by thugs and foreigners with more rights than the law-abiding rate-paying citizens.
It is the opinion of our councillor that by beautifying the pavement, the problem will be solved, wasting R22 000 of my rates in the process.
The DA council owns a property in the very same murderous Justin Street. An absolute hell hole.
We were assured at a ratepayers’ meeting that the situation is in hand. Our councillor informed us it will be sorted soon. To date, (five months later) nothing has been done about their derelict property. Again this is at the expense of the constituents.
Vasco Park is another case of banging your head against a brick wall with the underhanded development they are trying to push through.
In Section Street is another example of the DA working for the community. I am sick of "but the ANC municipalities are so much worse".
I don’t care about any other municipality. I live in Brooklyn where my rates and taxes are being squandered and abused by the DA municipality.
I have been keeping a record of all transgressions by the DA municipality since January 2023. Time, dates, photo and video footage. I cannot wait for the end result in December, at which point I'll call your bluff as to your great "track record."
So as they say in the classics, "Let the games begin".
• Ward 55 councillor Fabian Ah-Sing responds:
I assure the resident, that when it comes to local government service delivery which is within the mandate of the City and myself as the ward councillor, service delivery is taking place.
The City has come on-board to assist with various concerns which are prevalent in Brooklyn. It is incorrect to blame the City for the lack of services which national government departments are responsible for.
The City is doing all it can to protect residents from the lack of services which should be provided by national government departments.
Examples of this is our increase in funding to the City’s safety and security department. Additionally, the City has made budget available and is working hard to protect residents from national government’s load shedding.
The City is constantly working to improve service delivery. We are, however, heavily affected by the lack of services from national government departments.
In Ward 55, we continue to work with residents to improve the entire ward.