Byline: Refeloe Letsoisa
09 April 2025
Concerned residents of Kinross embarked on a peaceful march to the municipal offices in Extension 25 to submit a follow-up memorandum and petition to the Govan Mbeki Municipality on Tuesday, 08 April 2025.
Their demands were directed to the Municipal Manager, Mr Elliot Maseko, and the Speaker of Council, Cllr Fikile Magagamela.
The core of the community’s grievances centered around the removal of Ward 16 Councillor, Cllr Rose Nkabinde.
The petition, which bears numerous signatures from residents, outlines several reasons for her removal, citing a pattern of misconduct and dereliction of duty in terms of the Municipal Structures Act, the Municipal Systems Act, and the stated objectives of the Govan Mbeki Municipality.
According to the petition, Cllr Nkabinde has failed to address ongoing service delivery issues, including illegal electricity connections and the lack of transparency around the rollout of smart meters.
Residents accuse her of demonstrating a “blatant disregard for their needs” and criticize her for a persistent lack of communication and feedback regarding reported service delivery issues.
In addition to demanding her removal, the residents call for a full investigation into the municipality’s growing debt and a transparent account of public expenditure, as outlined in the follow-up memorandum.
The Speaker of Council, Cllr Fikile Magagamela, officially received and signed both the petition and the memorandum.
“Viva Ward 16, viva! We hear your concerns and will pass on the message to the office of the Executive Mayor, Cllr Nhlakanipho Zuma. Hopefully, we will be able to respond in time,” she stated.
The municipality has been given seven (7) days to respond to the residents’ demands. The community has signaled its readiness to escalate the matter to all relevant authorities should the issues continue to be ignored.
