In what was described as an opportunity for openness and transparency, a leader from Eltivillas expressed his honest opinion about the town to the new municipal manager.

“I am now 62 and I have stayed in this town for the last 55 years. It hurts me to see this town so deteriorated. Eltivillas is now the filthiest place and the town also,” said Mr Dave Patel, executive member of the Chairpersons Association (CA).

Mr Patel remembered the days of bucket toilets.

“But even with the bucket toilets, Eltivillas was cleaned regularly and maintained in those days. Louis Trichardt was cleaned and maintained. You could be proud to be part of this town,” Patel said.

The Municipal Manager, Mr Shadrack Tshikalange, accompanied by Mr Frans Prinsloo, chairperson of the Soutpansberg Ratepayers Association, visited the office of Patel and Brothers Bookkeepers in Eltivillas on May 4. Meanwhile, there was a visitor on national level waiting for Patel.

“The  high-profile visitors ask me ‘Why does your town look like this?’ You don’t want your town to be painted black in parliament, do you? We are shooting ourselves in the foot,” Patel said.

Tshikalange hardly had a chance to respond as Patel was firing away at speed, utilising an important opportunity.

The municipal officials collecting refuse came under fire for driving too fast, overloading the vehicle and dropping  things all over in Eltivillas on a regular basis.

Patel not only expressed all citizens’ wish for a clean town, but advised that Council and the municipality should be cleaned out.

“Let  the guys with no capacity leave. A guy gets employed who is somebody’s family and that person does not have the capacity. Don’t run this on a racial basis. We have to think of the future generations and impart our skills to them,” Patel said.

The serious condition of the roads in Eltivillas came under the spotlight.

“They poured tar in the holes and it was worse than a gravel road,” Patel said. Pavements that are sagging need to be reconstructed.

The problem that municipal workers come to fix problems at night, probably to get overtime payment, was mentioned. Another problem is that work is mostly left unfinished. “They dig the hole and don’t fix it. The hole gets bigger, but never gets finished. Why not fix it for good? Is it that they don’t worry because ratepayers pay?” Patel asked.

The problem with the stormwater drains, called ‘a silent killer’ by Prinsloo, was also brought up. Storm water drains are underground and cannot be seen but need to function properly. In 3rd Street in particular, there was a problem with the stormwater drain. Prinsloo said that the gravel lying next to the road, especially after rains, should be swept away, since the next rain  washes the soil into the storm water drains to block it.

Patel said that he was sorry to say all these negative things. “But this is from frustration. This town should work like a clock. It is possible that this town can really do well. People value their town and will do anything for their town.”

Tshikalange said that skilled personnel was a problem in the municipality.

"We do have skilled persons in public. We would appreciate it if people gave their time, for instance one hour per month,” Tshikalange said. Patel, on behalf of the CA, as well as Prinsloo on behalf of the SRPA, said, however, that their offers to help over the last number of years had been ignored by the municipality.

On a positive note, Tshikalange said that almost all senior posts in the municipality’s organogram had been filled.

“We would also appreciate input of the community when we have passed the budget. We will make the budget available,” Tshikalange said.