TZANEEN – The Greater Tzaneen Municipality (GTM) says its 24-hour call centre has shown steady improvement since resuming full operations in April 2025, despite ongoing operational
challenges.

Municipal spokesperson Vutivi Makhubele said the call centre has faced difficulties over the past nine months, but these have not derailed efforts to improve service delivery.

“Since the resumption of the 24-hour call centre in April 2025, the municipality has experienced some operational challenges. However, progress and service improvements have continued,” Makhubele said.

She added that support from residents and ward councillors has contributed positively to the call centre’s performance.

Thousands of complaints logged

According to the municipality, 2 403 service-related complaints have been logged to date, covering issues such as electrical faults, public lighting, network problems, water and sanitation, sewerage, and general maintenance.

Of these, 2 185 cases have been resolved, while 204 remain under technical assessment.

Makhubele said the municipality remains committed to improving efficiency and responsiveness at the call centre.

Mixed political reactions

FF Plus Cllr Wayne Kurten welcomed the improvements, noting that staff are working under difficult conditions.

“They are not perfect, but they are doing a tough job and, in my view, are fairly effective,” Kurten said.

However, the DA has raised concerns, saying the system is still not fully effective. Cllr Chrizelle Dreyer said residents continue to experience slow response times, a lack of feedback, and, in some cases, the failure to receive reference numbers.

She said emergency issues, such as burst pipes or water meter theft, often require direct intervention by councillors to ensure urgent attention.

“In these cases, councillors report the matter directly to senior officials, with a reference number obtained afterwards so the fault can still be logged on the system,” Dreyer said.

Dreyer added that poor communication between municipal departments and the call centre contributes to resident frustration.

“Communication is key to a successful call centre. Greater Tzaneen Municipality must improve feedback and response times to improve customer satisfaction,” she said.

How to log service complaints

Residents can report service delivery problems by calling the GTM 24-hour Call Centre on 015 307 8190, or 082 679 0720 if the landline is unavailable.

Callers should provide their contact details, address and a brief description of the issue, and keep the reference number provided for follow-ups.