Among the topics discussed were reports of unlawful land grabs in Mbombela and White River as well as escalating taxi violence posing a serious threat to public safety. The party called for decisive action to be taken against those using violence and firearms to settle disputes.
In addition, farmers in Dullstroom raised concerns about pollution from mining activities and violations of license conditions. The Freedom Front Plus pointed out that these transgressions not only undermine the region’s value as a tourist attraction, but also threaten farmers’ economic survival. An official has consequently been assigned to investigate and report their findings to the Premier.
A proposal for a large-scale environmental project in the Dipaleseng area, where at least one million trees will be planted, was positively received. The party suggested that similar initiatives should be proposed to other municipalities, based on their specific needs, with the main objective of improving water and soil quality.
Another topic raised was the serious shortage of student housing in White River and Mbombela, and the negative impact of student conduct on residents’ quality of life and property values.
The Freedom Front Plus insisted that a sustainable solution should be found in collaboration with the university and local authorities.
The party will request follow-up meetings to ensure that the provincial government not only takes note of these issues, but takes concrete action to promote Mpumalanga residents’ safety, environmental integrity and socio-economic stability.
