Blantyre residents advised to ‘own’ public services: ‘Stop blame game’

Blantyre City Council (BCC) has challenged Blantyre City residents and surrounding areas to take full responsibility of protecting and safeguarding public facilities that the council erects in the city.

The council also urged the communities to report to law enforcers vandals and any suspicious so as to deal with criminals that vandalise the council’s public facilities, such as street lights and traffic lights.

According to the Council’s spokesperson, Anthony Kasunda, at one point, the city had street lights in most corners including the Chipembere Highway and the M1 from Kandodo Corner Shop through Chirimba to Kameza roundabout as well as the road from Clock Tower via Magalasi to Chileka Airport.

“The council has a mandate and responsibility to provide public services in the city, but in all fairness, people benefiting from these facilities also have a responsibility to protect and safeguard the facilities,” said Kasunda.

He said if the council and the residents can work together vandalism can be a thing of the past.

Kasunda further said they are losing a lot of revenue replacing these vandalised facilities instead of channelling the little available resources to new development initiatives.

“It remains a puzzle what the vandals do with the poles. The council tried to use concrete poles, but this did not stop the criminals.

“Some of the unpatriotic residents even sent an anonymous letter warning the council that they never allow a certain portion of the road to the airport to have lights because it is their hiding place at night,” he explained.

He also claims that the council has always endeavoured to have working traffic lights, but few days after fixing them, vandals come to break them.

“In some cases the vandals have even removed the poles that hold these lights.

“However, the council is determined to continue providing services to residents despite these challenges. But together, as residents and the council, Blantyre City can be a better place to live and do business,” he explained.

He therefore said there is need to stop the blame game and join hands to arrest this problem that is draining public resources.

“As a council, there is already a belief and conviction that its vision is slowly being realised of making Blantyre a city of choice in the Southern Africa Development Community (Sadc) region with a conducive environment where people shall take ownership, live, do business and prosper,” said Kasunda.