Basic services restored in Enkanini
The City of Cape Town is pleased with the progress that has been made in restoring the provision of basic services in the Enkanini Informal Settlement.
This follows the City's successful court interdict against the Ward Forum of Ward 95 and former ANC councillor, Andile Lili, for unlawful disruption of services in the area.
The City applied for an interim interdict to stop Mr. Lili and the group from preventing six contractors appointed to provide waste collection and cleansing services in the area from doing their work.
Mr. Lili and the Ward Forum demanded that all services be put on hold until their preferred candidates were appointed as supervisors in the project, contrary to the contract between the City and the contractors.
Mr. Lili was at the forefront of intimidating the contractors' staff until services had to be temporarily suspended in the interest of their safety. This thuggery resulted in the disruption of services in the area for at least a month thereby severely impacting on the lives of over 16 500 residents.
As a direct result of this unlawful action, the City applied for an interim interdict on 24 December 2012. The final interdict was granted on 29 January 2013. Since then, services have been rolled out in the area without any incident.
It is regrettable that the City has to incur avoidable expenses for legal fees to prevent obstructionists such as Mr. Lili from delaying and disrupting much-needed services to poor communities.
Community leaders, more so councillors, have a responsibility to assist the City to provide services to residents. Any community leader who stands in the way of service delivery in the city betrays the fundamental values of our democracy.
The City of Cape Town will pursue every available legal avenue to circumvent and stop any individual or group that prevents us from delivering services to our residents. Thousands of residents cannot be held to ransom by bullish minority groups to advance their narrow political interests.
I am grateful that the court dealt with this matter decisively so that the community of Enkanini can access the services they deserve.
Statement issued by Patricia de Lille, Executive Mayor of the City of Cape Town, March 18 2013
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