Councillors wish you a great festive season

From the opening of the new Scouts hall for the Parkmore Scouts, to vagrants starting fires in Ebury Park, the ward councillors of Sandton have handled a great deal of challenges and achieved great successes this year.

Councillor of Ward 32 Bongani Nkomo said his greatest challenges this year were establishing a solid and working relationship with the municipal entities.

Nkomo’s festive season message read: I would like to say to the residents of Ward 32 to enjoy their well-deserved break with family and friends, but to also ensure that they are responsible and safe in there festivities. They should also ensure that their homes are well secured while they are away, and that their vehicles are well equipped to travel. Finally, I would like to tell them that I am at their disposal, even through the festive season.

Councillor of Ward 106 Stephen Moore said his greatest challenges this year involved the “uncontrollable densification” in his ward and the growing number of vagrants living in abandoned houses, riverine areas and public open spaces. The good news was that the ward was part of the Integrated Development Plan and this would stop “a number of illegal and ill-conceived developments before they can further exacerbate our infrastructure woes.”

His message for the festive season read: If you are going away, travel safe and enjoy and recharge. If you are staying in Joburg, enjoy the best time of year in the city as everything is so quiet (my favourite time of the year here at home).

Councillor of Ward 102 David Potter described his biggest successes in his ward as the re-launch of the Randburg Fire Station and the development of DSTV in Randburg. He added that the lack of proactive service delivery had become his greatest issue this year and he urged residents to download his PDF at lookandlog.co.za which will act as a guide to residents when service outages occur.

Potter’s festive season message read: I wish everyone a happy festive season. Travel safe over the festive season, and start 2015 with refreshed thinking and energy.

Councillor of Ward 91 Andrew Stewart said his challenges for next year would be illegal building in the suburban and Alexandra portion of his ward. He added that car window washers on the Grayston bridge had also been a constant headache.

His festive season message read: Enjoy your family time but be weary of the increase in crime during this period.