Long-time resident of Alberton, comments on frustrating local officials

It appears that issues with sewage overflows in Alberton are becoming a crisis and are not being adequately addressed by the authorities.

Promises of urgent investigations are cold comfort to those of us who have sewage flooding our gardens and regularly running down our streets.

My question is: ‘What, apart from investigations, is being done to remedy a serious problem?’

I have had multiple interactions with the Alberton customer care centre about sewage, overgrown pavements, illegal dumping, massive littering, exposed electrical wiring and inoperative street lighting since the first week of August.

Despite phone calls, emails, a personal meeting with the care centre manager, an onsite visit with staff and several appeals to my ward councillor, my only success to date is the repair of a street light.

My councillor has repeatedly referred me back to the care centre, my emails to specific department heads have been ignored, and the care centre no longer cares enough to communicate with me.

I have asked specific questions about the progress of the sewage system upgrades, seemingly abandoned infrastructure, and the failure of the Siyakhokha app, but I am no further forward than I was when I started.

I have used the app to geo-locate specific problems, been informed that they are being attended to and, shortly thereafter, that they are “closed,” with nothing having been done.

One Ekurhuleni website claim, among many, is that it is a “one-stop, metro-wide, customer care service.” It would appear that the marketing department and the reality of day-to-day operations are from totally different planets.

I would be interested to know if I am the only resident experiencing these frustrations.

Alberton resident since 1983

Bill Grove

WATCH: Business owners in Alrode unhappy with overflowing sewage