Report Back: Councillor Geoff Pullan

It has been a while since I have sent out my councillor’s Report Back.

Apologies, too many pressing issues in the ward. I almost want to write about the frustrations of being a councillor!

Officialdom and politics really do make it difficult to get things done.

On the plus side, we have managed to install ablution facilities in all the informal settlements in the ward.

The one at Ocean Drive In has been removed as most of these families were moved to Hammonds Farm (there are still 42 families here). One wonders why the people were moved from the north end of the airport to the south end. Both places are in the flight and noise zones of King Shaka.

I worry that eThekwini is making another large conglomeration township at Waterloo. Something previous regimes did at Umlazi and KwaMashu.

Repairs to the M4 along the La Mercy strip seem to be ongoing. I have reported, and taken officials to see, where the road has either collapsed or is being eroded at a number of places.

This road was constructed in 1961/2 and takes a pounding from the many heavies that use it.

The installation of some traffic circles has chased some of them away… As the M4 north is our tourist route we should be maintaining its attraction by keeping them on the N2.

eThekwini has installed outdoor gyms and play equipment throughout the city. Ward 58 was lucky enough to receive an out-door gym at Hammonds Farm, and play equipment at La Mercy, Westbrook and Hammonds Farm.

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Last year the pounding Indian Ocean waves eroded a substantial portion of the seawall at Umdloti.

This has been replaced with large Geo Bags, to maintain the coastline at the northern end of North Beach Road. Another environmental challenge is the amount of pollution and alien plants in our rivers.

The Wildlands Foundation have embarked on a project to clean up the Tongaat River, and have tackled a portion at Magwaveni.

The other water related project is the canalisation of the Amanzimyama stream. This is almost complete and the final tidying up will make this area both attractive and an asset to locals – including the resident crocodile!

Tongaat Hulett are starting to open up Inyaninga, and have begun EIA’s [Environmental Impact Assessment] for two chunks of land there.

One of my frustrations is the difficulty in getting title deeds for residents.

Waterloo – Phase 6, where three quarters of the title deeds have been issued, means that another 200+ deeds need to be cleared. Hammonds Farm has had no deeds issued, and there appears to be a problem with transferring the land from private ownership to the authorities – prior to opening the Register. Magwaveni is in a similar position. In the case of Station Park, the land is in the name of a deceased estate.

These legal niceties need to be dealt with, before title deeds can be transferred to the beneficiaries. I find it untenable that government is unable to speed these processes up. When people get their title deeds, they not only are treated with dignity but are also able to use their asset more fully. The non issue of title deeds is unfair and should be addressed quickly by the authorities.

The redevelopment of the Tongaat Mall is another matter that needs concluding. In my contact with the developers, they tell me that they are waiting to sign up a critical mass of tenants before proceeding. One can understand this, from a business point of view. However, the existing building carcass is a monument to greed and corruption. I suppose it reminds us that two people tragically lost their lives there.

The construction of the Maths and Science Academy at La Mercy has re-commenced, so we await its completion this year. The Public Works Dept had a glitch in their financing, probably using the funds for something else…. halfway through the project. Our President can’t sort out the crooks in government soon enough!

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