Bell tolls for toxic Jozi trolls

Before the age of social media, trolls were ugly creatures who lived under bridges, from whence they pounced on unsuspecting victims.

Ugliness remains a defining characteristic of the modern version – internet trolls. The verb “to troll” is traditionally used by fishermen. It means to trail a lure from a moving vessel: trolling to evoke reaction from prey. And catch them.

Today, internet trolls toss out barbs while trawling through social media, provoking responses.

Social media are part of a Johannesburg ward councillor’s routine. Although many of us belong to multiple neighbourhood Facebook groups, and we use Twitter, much more communication is via WhatsApp, e-mail and electronic newsletters.

Bearing in mind the potential for negative comment, I am grateful for the relative absence of trolls (fingers crossed). Take, for example, Joburg’s notorious billing crisis, which the DA-led administration inherited.

Billing is in the headlines, and was on Carte Blanche twice recently. Thousands attended a recent “Billing Day” at Marks Park. As ward councillors, we receive endless complaints about incorrect bills, pre-termination notices and service cut-offs.

The equanimity displayed by affected residents is amazing. To have your water and/or electricity cut off is damn inconvenient. Given the number of pre-terms and disconnections, I am surprised more residents aren’t angrier.

Inevitably, some vent their frustrations against councillors. However, most are forbearing. They understand what is going on. The long-festering troubles around billing were not properly addressed in the past. All sorts of dynamics come into play.

Political and criminal sabotage are significant factors, unleashed by mayor Herman Mashaba’s campaign against corruption. Most staff are honest and hardworking. Eventually the rot will be excised. Right now the malcontents still have capacity to cause chaos at every stage of the billing process, including meter reading, data capturing, and so on.

Despite the bad publicity around billing, surveys show that residents approve of the changes in Johannesburg in the first year of the DA-led administration.

For example, in the biennial customer satisfaction survey, conducted in April, the city’s overall performance rating increased from 59% in 2015 to 61% in 2017. Even more impressive was a jump from 39% in July 2016 to 53% in July 2017, recorded in the Ipsos Government Performance Barometer. In last week’s Ward 124 by-election, the ANC’s majority was reduced.

Fixing local government is not like making instant coffee. Remember, too, that Johannesburg is much bigger than any other SA municipality. Its R56 billion annual budget dwarfs those of many African countries.

When comparing Johannesburg to Cape Town (budget R37 billion), bear in mind the time frame. It took at least three years to unravel Cape Town’s inherited mess and show substantial improvements.

From that perspective, Johannesburg’s one-year-old administration is doing well. The bell tolls for pessimistic trolls.

DA city councillor for Joburg Martin Williams