TO: The Executive Mayor
City of Matlosana Local Municipality
Cllr. Fekile C Mahlope
41 Bram Fisher Street, Klerksdorp

TO: The Municipal Manager
City of Matlosana Local Municipality
Me. Lesego Seametso
41 Bram Fisher Street, Klerksdorp 

FROM: Concerned Residents of Stilfontein

FORMAL PETITION OF DEMAND: FAILURE OF MUNICIPAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUBLIC SERVICES IN STILFONTEIN
We, the undersigned residents of Stilfontein, hereby lodge this formal petition and legal complaint against the City of Matlosana Municipality for its persistent failure to uphold its constitutional and statutory obligations to maintain basic infrastructure and essential public services within our town.

Over an extended period, the infrastructure in Stilfontein has visibly deteriorated to the point where it now constitutes a serious risk to the health, safety, and dignity of its residents. The following conditions are currently prevalent and worsening:

• Potholes and degraded roads, which have remained unrepaired, causing vehicle damage and danger to drivers and pedestrians alike;
• Raw sewage flowing openly down public roads and walkways, creating a direct and ongoing health hazard to both adults and children, polluting the local environment and natural water bodies;
• ⁠Rebuild/replace and reinstate effective stormwater system which caused the flooding of houses, endangering road users within the city limits and the N12 highway;
• ⁠Non-functioning street lights, leaving entire residential areas in darkness and increasing vulnerability to criminal activity;
• Overgrown grass and vegetation, especially near public roads and open spaces, providing cover for criminal activity and endangering the lives of residents;
• ⁠General municipal neglect and absence of visible service delivery, contrary to the mandates placed upon local government by the Constitution and national legislation.

Legal Grounds for Complaint:
We draw your attention to the following legislative and constitutional mandates which are being violated:

- Section 152 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996.

1. The objects of local government are -
a. to provide democratic and accountable government for local communities;
b. to ensure the provision of services to communities in a sustainable manner;
d. to promote a safe and healthy environment; 
⁷• Section 153 of the Constitution, which imposes a duty on municipalities to structure and manage their administration, budgeting and planning processes to give priority to the basic needs of the community;
•⁠  ⁠Municipal Systems Act 32 of 2000, Chapter 2, Section 4(2)(a)-(j) which compels municipalities to deliver municipal services equitably and sustainably;
•⁠  ⁠National Environmental Management Act 107 of 1998, which holds all organs of state accountable for preventing environmental harm and protecting the health of citizens;
•⁠  ⁠Promotion of Administrative Justice Act 3 of 2000 (PAJA), which grants residents the right to lawful, reasonable, and procedurally fair administrative action by municipalities.

The City of Matlosana’s failure to attend to these issues constitutes gross administrative neglect, exposes the municipality to legal liability, and deprives residents of their most basic constitutional rights, including the right to dignity, the right to a safe environment, and the right to adequate service delivery.

Our Demand:
We hereby call upon the City of Matlosana to:

• Urgently address and repair all road infrastructure, including potholes and eroded streets;
• ⁠Immediately stop the flow of raw sewage and repair all associated infrastructure;
• ⁠Restore all broken or dysfunctional street lights and public lighting systems;
• ⁠Cut and maintain all overgrown public areas and vacant municipal land;
• Provide a formal and public response, including a timeline of planned actions, within 14 days of receipt of this petition.

Should the City fail to comply with this demand, we will take further action as per legislation.
Signatures of Residents of Stilfontein:

Voetnota:
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