The Democratic Alliance in Louis Trichardt is accusing the Makhado Municipality of enriching itself, instead of rendering services to the people whom it is supposed to serve.

According to the leader of the DA caucus, Cllr Kenny Maboho, the municipality is enriching itself at the expense of the residents of Eltivillas, who are paying every month for services that are never rendered. "The municipality got millions from the stands they sold at Eltivillas, but is failling to at least grade the streets and cut the grass, so that cars can move smoothly," said Maboho.

He added that the streets were worse than those in the villages. "The residents have to make their way through cars and trucks that are delivering building materials. These residents have been paying for services since the erven were auctioned off about three years ago," he said.

According to Maboho, the technical director, Mr Thivho Ralulimi, has been informed of the problem several times, "but he seems too reluctant to attend to it." He said that it was clear that the municipality had sold the erven because of financial constraints, because the millions which they got through that auction were enough to develop the area, or at least tar the roads. "We are tired of the fact that whenever people report problems to Director Ralulimi, he becomes arrogant," he said.

Maboho said that the Democratic Alliance had reported issues like potholes and bushes in town, but nothing had been attended to so far. "The residents of Makhado Park have submitted their grievances relating to potholes, bushy parks and street lights and the answers they received from the municipal manager, Mr Shadrack Tshikalange and his technical service director, Mr Ralulimi, were appalling. Ralulimi told some of the residents that they should count the bulbs that are not working and give him the number. When they phoned him to give him the number, he told them to go and identify the street names. Even after all these belittling dilly-dallying tactics, nothing has been done," revealed Maboho.

He said that when the potholes were fixed, it was done with gravel rather than tarmac. Other residents who spoke to Mirror said that the lack of decent roads in Eltivillas was devaluing their houses.

The spokesperson for the Makhodo Municipality, Mr Louis Bobodi, said they had a programme to grade and rehabilitate all the streets falling within the Makhado municipal area of jurisdiction. "We are busy working on the issue of roads and the rehabilitation of the streets. I believe that the problem will be addressed soon. We are busy working on it," he said.

Bobodi also dismissed claims that the municipality was enriching itself at the expense of residents.