Agb Speaker, die verval van die ANC-beheerde munisipaliteite het verreikende gevolge. Die gemeenskap van Sterkspruit vra dat die regering aandag aan hul probleme gee. Volgens inwoners van hierdie nedersetting, soos die ANC hulle noem, is hulle deur die regering vergeet. Die gemeenskap van Sterkspruit is moeg daarvoor om gegnoreer te word. Hulle vra al vyf jaar vir 'n vergadering met raadslede en die burgemeester van Senqu-munisipaliteit. Al wat hulle wil hoor, is wanneer hulle dienste soos water, paaie, toilette en huise kan verwag.
Die ANC in Senqu het egter besluit om die inwoners se oproep vir dienslewering in hul gemeenskappe te ignoreer. Om aandag op hul hulpkrete te vestig, het die gemeenskap tot aksie oorgegaan wat tot baie negatiewe gevolge vir die gemeenskap gelei het. Massa-aksie het veroorsaak dat ondernemings hul deure moes sluit, skole is gesluit en bande word op al die toegangsroetes gebrand. 'n Sestienjarige kind is na bewering deur die polisie in hierdie oproer doodgeskiet.
Die gemeenskap se frustrasie het nou so ver oorgekook dat hulle nie meer oor dienslewering betoog nie, maar hulle wil nou hul eie munisipaliteit vorm. Dit is onaanvaarbaar dat gemeenskappe tot sulke aksie moet oorgaan om deur die ANC-regering gehoor te word. [Applous.] (Translation of Afrikaans member's statement follows.)
[Mrs A STEYN (DA): Hon Speaker, the deterioration of the ANC-controlled municipalities has far-reaching consequences. The community of Sterkspruit has called on the government to pay attention to their problems. According to the residents of this settlement, as the ANC calls them, they have been forgotten by the government. The community of Sterkspruit is tired of being ignored. They have been asking for a meeting with council members and the mayor of Senqu Municipality for five years already. All they want to know is when they will be able to expect services like water, roads, toilets and houses.
The ANC in Senqu has, however, decided to ignore the residents' call for service delivery in their communities. To draw attention to their cry for help, the community has taken action, which has led to many negative consequences for the community. Mass action caused enterprises to shut their doors, schools were closed and tyres are being burned on all the access routes. A 16-year-old child has allegedly been shot dead by the police during this protest action.
The community's frustration is now reaching boiling point, to the extent that they are no longer protesting over service delivery, but are now demanding their own municipality. It is unacceptable that communities have to resort to such action to get the ANC government to listen to them. [Applause.]]