The Free State provincial government was set to finally rename Brandfort to Winnie Mandela town today, Sunday 26 September 2021, but there was yet another postponement following a meeting with Brandfort residents on Saturday, a project gazzetted by Minister of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture Nathi Mthetwa on 6 August 2021.
The postponement was confirmed in a media release by Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation.
There was an outcry from all sectors including an opposition party in the Free State and the community of Majwemasweu, which forced the postponement as minister asked for 30 days cooling off period as required this after Free State government announced the 20 August 2021 as the renaming or unveiling date, that was just 16 days after proclamation.
Among issues raised by the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the community of Majwemasweu was lack of consultation and transparency from the government.
Step Up SA News visited Brandfort this and found Roads and Transport employees at work with signage and residents defaced the information board on Friday 24 September 2021.
Step Up SA News has it on good authority that the community met both provincial and national leadership on Saturday, 25 September 2021. The outcome according to a source was postponement to allow consultation and service delivery concerns by residents including unemployment.
One resident took Step Up SA News crew to a burnt building, which according to residents was a clinic.
Asked what his views are about the renaming, a resident who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation said: “We don’t have a clinic, but we are busy renaming. Our clinic burnt down on the 8 August 2019, that’s two years, one month and 16 days without a clinic. Why has the government not built a clinic for this community? They are only doing this renaming because of elections and we are not stupid, we are not fools.”
“The irony is Mam Winnie’s clinic was bombed by apartheid police and residents can’t get help as they struggle because there is no political will to build the clinic” she concluded.
Another resident said the name change should happen with service delivery.
“Yes, we adore Mam Winnie, but renaming should happen parallel to service delivery. We have a 25-year-old informal settlement that has never been developed. Unemployment is rife and simple things such as street lights are not functioning. We struggle with water and sanitation, and residents have to risk their lives and cross the main road to get water.”
A youth representative in the Masilonyane Local Municipality asked why the money meant for renaming was not redirected.
“Last year all money meant for events were redirected to PPE. Why couldn’t they redirect the money for renaming including catering, stage and entertainment to mention a few to issues affecting residents of Masilonyane Local Municipality? Mam Winnie is turning in her grave. She cared about ordinary people”.
In August the postponement happened 3 days before the renaming and this time around a day before.
This is a developing story.
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