Limpho Sello
MASERU City Council (MCC) can only improve the city and render efficient service delivery with the cooperation of residents, MCC Public Relations Officer Lintle Bless has said.
Ms Bless made the remarks during a recent one-day induction course for journalists at Mmelesi Lodge to brief them about the operations and challenges the local authority encountered in service delivery.
She told a round table discussion that gaps in service delivery were largely the result of sections of the populations’ failure or refusal to fulfil their obligations including paying property and other council rates.
“We are working tirelessly in different departments to ensure that services are provided to the people but the challenge we have is that we are working with the public who either ruin or destroy our efforts or those who just want to acquire services for free,” Ms Bless said.
She said they also encountered challenges with residents who dumped waste at undesignated sites all over the city and this could have serious health implications for everyone in the city.
“We have a dumping site where we always urge people to take their waste but some people sneak out of their homes at night to dump waste along roads and next to other people’s yards,” Ms Bless said.
She said she hoped working with journalists would help them conscientise people to desist from destructive behaviour and cooperate with them in improving conditions in the city.
The workshop was also attended by directors from different departments within the city council who made presentations on their operations and challenges.