Our problem becomes your problem

When things go askew in Benoni, you need to inform your local newspaper.

October 17, 2017

Kevin van der List 2 minutes read

Based on the news value, we will do our utmost to resolve the issues affecting you – be it a pothole (or many dongas), sewage leak, an update on the situation at the Benoni Bunny Park or the latest on the water restrictions.

Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as it sounds.

In the past (before my time as editor) the publication had direct access to officials within the municipality, such as engineers.

Since the formation of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM), officials are ‘protected’ from the media.

When a complaint lands on my desk, it is given to a journalist to “action”.

If the nature of the problem requires comment from the municipality, we send it to the communications department.

This office then channels the media enquiry to the relevant department that is expected to research and investigate the issue, formulate a reply and have it signed off by the head of department.

It is then sent back to the communications department, who may put their spin on it, before forwarding it to the newsroom.

Simple, right?

Not at all, but we’re not done….

Metro employees have told me that some departments within the EMM are better at replying to media enquiries than others.

However, there are also instances when official comment from spokesperson Themba Gadebe is received within hours, but that is the exception.

What this means is that certain complaints we receive simply never get answered – or when they are received, they are usually as stale as bread purchased from a supermarket on a Monday morning.

This causes a big headache for the newsroom.

Not only are we unable to give our readers decent feedback on issues of concern, but our hands are chopped off so to speak and we appear to lack the will to drive the community’s concerns.

A contingency plan from our side is to ask councillors for comment, but their comment is sometimes problematic as it is not from the horse’s mouth (i.e. the metro) or they simply do not have the necessary insight into the issue.

A recent example is the wheelie-bin saga in Benoni.

An initial email was sent to the communications department on July 14.

On August 16, a group of Caxton editors met with metro officials, including officials from the EMM waste department.

I asked them about this apparent over-charge on refuse collection and told them that my office had been waiting for comment since July 14.

Although some points were clarified, I was told they will look into specific cases from that date and get back to me with a possible explanation of why some residents appear to be paying too much.

I have subsequently sent numerous follow-up enquiries regarding this matter, but on the morning of October 9, I was still waiting for clarity on the matter. Unfortunately, the nature of the complaint calls for official comment.

Perhaps there is a simple explanation, but at this stage I do not have one.

If you’re struggling with an issue in Benoni and need us to investigate, please contact our office on 011 425 0164 or email us at benonicitytimes@caxton.co.za

We will do our best to make Benoni a better place to live.