Mpumalanga residents slam poor service delivery ahead of LGE

Residents of Ekulindeni in Mpumalanga’s Chief Albert Luthuli Municipality say poor service delivery remains a major concern ahead of the upcoming local government elections.

They have raised issues including inadequate municipal services and say they hope the elections will bring meaningful change and improved service delivery in their community.

One resident said, “Our issues in this community is we have more than 80% of unemployed people in this community, we don’t have any economic activities that are happening in this community. We do not have any firms, we don’t have any projects that gives employment to the people of this community. 80% of the site belongs to Ward 12 which is Chief Albert Luthuli Municipality, but what is happening now is something we do not understand. That place is now called Barberton Makhonjwa Mountain, and all the activities happening there are benefitting the residents of Barberton of which our municipality also contributes to the same activities happening at the Makhonjwa mountain, whilst we do not benefit anything from those programmes.”

Meanwhile, the municipality’s spokesperson Thapelo Phetla says they are aware of the challenges raised by residents. “We have undertaken infrastructure work in the area while recognising that further maintenance and improvements are needed on roads. The main road falls under the provincial Department of Public Works and Transport. Maintenance of municipal roads is ongoing and the road leading to the voting stations have been maintained. Work will proceed to other internal streets with priorities identified in consultation with the ward counsellor. We will engage the provincial department about the concern relating to the main road.”

X | LGE 2026 | In the eThekwini Elections 360 debate, the ANC points to ongoing water projects, including the R1.2-billion Southern Aqueduct, Upper uMkomazi Dam and 98 boreholes in rural areas. The DA blames decades of poor service delivery on the ANC-led government, while the EFF… pic.twitter.com/kfXSAt9lK5

— SABC News (@SABCNews) September 27, 2026

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