RESIDENTS and voters in Wards 27 and 31 gathered on Wednesday night (October 21) as four political parties and councillor candidates had their last chance to outline their promises.

The political parties in the hot seat were the DA, ANC, Active Citizens Coalition (ACC), and ActionSA. The session was moderated by Professor Abdul Kadu and Mohammed Seedat.

The two wards reportedly contribute just under R50m in ratable revenue for eThekwini. And the ratepayers were largely vested in how the incoming councillors would ensure that a substantial portion of this revenue is ploughed back into the community’s upkeep.

Also read: Candidate aims for hijacked buildings in Ward 32

The wards face a string of challenges, which were highlighted during the engagement. These challenges include power outages, failing infrastructure, water leaks, and lengthy repair interventions. The influx of the homeless, and grime and crime also took centre stage.

Mushrooming informal settlements around Ward 27 were another concern. The ACC highlighted that the illegal informal settlements adversely affect household municipal bills, as higher bills can be attributed to unaccounted use of water and electricity. “We are not against the settlements, but it is an injustice to ratepayers,” said Imtiaz Syed, ACC mayoral candidate.

The ANC, through its Ward 31 councillor candidate, Ahmed ‘Dees’ Kayalsum, said it cannot promise the absence of power outages; however, it will push for upgrades and planning for the future.

Also read: Councillor Candidate promises improvements for Ward 28

The DA, through Ward 27 councillor candidate, Ryan Hendra, noted the ‘energy crunch’ looming in 2027. “We will advocate for funding to be ring-fenced for substation refurbishments and cooling systems. And push for Independent Power Production and renewable energy plans,” Hendra said.

The ActionSA’s Ward 27 councillor candidate, Mark Lowe, decried the state of the ward, and cited lack of political will to make changes. He reckoned the funding used for erecting statues could have been allocated to revitalise the Stables Market, for instance. Squatters and the homeless remain a thorn, Lowe said, and his party aims to sit with powers that be, including Durban Metro and SAPS, faith-based organisations, and NPOs to address the issue of the homeless.

Collectively the parties supported the role of the Urban Improvement Precincts (UIP) in keeping the neighbourhood safe and clean. However, “The role of UIPs is to support the municipality’s role. It seems service delivery has been shifting towards the UIPs, causing the residents and ratepayers to be double-billed as they pay rates, as well as UIP contributions. The two have to work hand-in-hand,” the parties said.

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