TZANEEN – The Greater Tzaneen Municipality (GTM) has launched a 24-hour call centre to improve service delivery and ensure that residents can report municipal issues at any time of the day or night.

The new call centre allows community members to report problems related to electricity, water, sewerage, potholes, public parks, and other municipal services. The initiative, which officially went live on May 1, aims to provide quicker and more efficient responses, especially to emergencies that occur outside regular working hours.

GTM spokesperson Vutivi Makhubele said the municipality identified a growing need for after-hours support.

“We realised that many residents were struggling to reach the municipality during emergencies at night,” she explained. “That’s why we launched the 24-hour contact line and expanded our call centre team. Our technical teams are now on standby around the clock to attend to service-related issues.”

Previously, residents relied on provincial and presidential hotlines to report service delivery problems. Now, all complaints will be handled directly through the GTM’s new contact line.

DA Cllr René Pöhl, who recently conducted an oversight visit, told the Herald that the system is functioning well. However, she urged residents to be patient when reporting problems.

“Not all issues can be resolved immediately. Reports are prioritised based on urgency, whether they’re high, medium, or low priority,” said Pöhl. “Water-related issues remain the highest priority. In the future, we hope to assign dedicated call centre operators for each department to streamline responses even further.”

Pöhl also encouraged residents to follow the correct reporting procedure.

“First, report the issue to the call centre. If necessary, use the relevant WhatsApp group, and only then contact the Ward Councillor, since councillors have multiple responsibilities,” she advised.

Residents can contact the GTM Call Centre at 015 307 8190 or via the alternative number 082 679 0720 for assistance.