Entumbane residents unhappy over conversion of library stand to car park

A meeting was held at Entumbane Community Hall on Saturday 24 March where residents raised concerns on the “unavailability and unresponsiveness” of the area councillor Gladys Masuku. Masuku was unable to attend the meeting as she was unwell.

However, residents said ever since she was elected into office in 2013, she has not called any meeting to give feedback on issues affecting residents.  Residents said she has not lived up to her campaign promises citing that she had promised to push for the construction of a library in Entumbane but this has become a pipe-dream as the stand pegged for the construction of a library has been turned into a car park.

Residents also complained that she was not adhering to their concerns as they requested that the three percent Ward Retention Fund be allocated to the construction of a library. However, they said she sent a proposal to the local authority that Entumbane residents required an ambulance and neighbourhood police required a vehicle.

In an interview, councillor Masuku said residents are divided along political party lines in the area and this is causing tension and low attendance in meetings.

Concerning the library, she said the stand was leased out in order to increase the local authority’s revenue streams. However, due to inadequate funds to construct a library, a makeshift library has been constructed.

Masuku said with regard to the Ward Retention Fund, she sought input from the ward development committee, ministers of religion and the residents’ association who suggested that the community prioritized an ambulance.