GOOD Statement by Robin Hendrikse, GOOD Stellenbosch Municipality Councillor:
The GOOD Party welcomes the swift response by senior officials of Stellenbosch Municipality following the formal submission of an urgent letter regarding the ongoing structural damage and flooding crisis affecting residents of Fontein Street in Cloetesville by GOOD Councillor Robin Hendrikse.
Following the submission and hand-delivery of the correspondence to the Municipal Manager and relevant Executive Directors, senior municipal representatives, including Disaster Risk Management officials and municipal engineers, have since conducted a site visit to assess the extent of the damage and risks faced by affected residents.
During the site visit, municipal officials confirmed that the matter would be treated with urgency due to the recurring underground water accumulation and the serious safety risks affecting multiple households adjacent to the municipal play park along the R44 corridor.
Encouragement was drawn from the intervention and commitments made by the newly appointed Acting Director of Corporate Services, Ms Lungelwa Kaywood, who undertook to urgently establish which municipal department should assume responsibility for the necessary remedial and preventative work required to address the ongoing crisis. Ms Kaywood further committed to arranging a formal engagement meeting with all affected residents to ensure that their concerns are properly heard and addressed.
GOOD is encouraged by Ms Kaywood’s willingness to engage directly, openly, and constructively with residents and stakeholders. At a time when communities have often expressed frustration over accessibility and responsiveness within the municipality, her approach offers hope for a more accountable, compassionate, and solutions-driven administration. Residents have endured repeated winter flooding incidents over several years, resulting in collapsed boundary walls, damage to vehicles, emotional distress, and ongoing threats to safety and security.
Concern remains for vulnerable residents, including an elderly woman whose property has now been left exposed following the collapse of a rear boundary wall.
The GOOD Party appreciates the willingness of municipal officials to engage directly with affected residents and to begin investigating both immediate interventions and long-term solutions. However, it remains critically important that this process now leads to decisive action, accountability, and the implementation of sustainable engineering solutions rather than temporary measures.
We acknowledge the commitments made by municipal representatives and will continue to closely monitor the situation to ensure that affected residents receive the assistance, communication, and long-term intervention they deserve.
The GOOD Party remains committed to standing with the residents of Cloetesville and advocating for communities whose concerns too often go unresolved until disaster strikes.
GOOD Manifesto on Community Safety: Strengthening community safety initiatives.
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