Who and what is AfriForum?

AfriForum is an Afrikaans civil rights organisation that protects the rights of minority groups at national as well as provincial level, and anyone who can identify with AfriForum’s principles and objectives may join the organisation. AfriForum’s community plan focuses on mobilising communities to thus take control of their own streets and neighbourhoods again. AfriForum ensures that your constitutional and civil rights are recognised and protected at national level.

Wie en wat is AfriForum?

AfriForum is ’n Afrikaanse burgerregteorganisasie wat die regte van minderheidsgroepe op sowel nasionale as provinsiale vlak beskerm, en enigiemand wat met AfriForum se beginsels en doelstellings kan identifiseer, mag by die organisasie aansluit. AfriForum se gemeenskapsplan fokus daarop om gemeenskappe te mobiliseer om só weer beheer terug te neem oor hul eie strate en woonbuurtes. AfriForum verseker dat jou grondwetlike én burgerregte op nasionale vlak erken en beskerm word.

AfriForum intervenes after Sedgefield intersection remains unfinished

AfriForum’s Knysna branch began repairing the road surface of an intersection in Sedgefield on Saturday. This follows after the Knysna Local Municipality failed to renew the contract that would have ensured that the repairs be finalised. As a result, a section of the intersection was left unfinished. The contractor dug up an area of approximately 110 m², after which municipal workers poured loose gravel into the holes. The loose gravel poses a great danger to motorists and worsens the condition of the road.

Despite several meetings with the Municipality, where AfriForum repeatedly raised this issue, nothing was done about the situation. The local AfriForum branch therefore decided to step in and tackle this stretch of road.

The first phase of the repairs kicked off this past weekend, during which the branch used approximately 1,4 tons of tar to fill in just over 10 m² of road surface at the corner of Volstruis Road and Quail Street. The next phase is expected to be undertaken soon. The project was funded by the branch and volunteers from the community.

Marthinus Erasmus, AfriForum’s District Coordinator for the Southern Cape, says service delivery in Knysna is reaching an all-time low. “AfriForum is truly concerned about the poor service delivery in the greater Knysna area. It is clear that there is a lack of willingness to deliver services and that communities can no longer rely on the Municipality for this. This latest project is part of AfriForum’s strategy to tackle state failure and work with communities on practical solutions when government fails them.”

Erasmus emphasises that countering the deterioration do not absolve the Municipality of its responsibility but rather draw attention to the local government’s failure to meet its constitutional obligations to the community. “The restoration of infrastructure, the cleaning of landfill sites and the restoration of basic service delivery are all part of AfriForum’s mandate to protect communities – and to send a clear message that residents will not tolerate this level of negligence.”

AfriForum’s Knysna branch has already run several successful community projects and will continue to fight for the survival of this coastal town. Contact Rethea Lombaard at 071 672 8806 to get involved with the branch or join the Knysna branch today. Send an email to marthinus.erasmus@afriforum.co.za or call Erasmus at 081 216 9602 for more information.