Road safety, electricity and beach control were the three major issues raised by residents of Wards 6, 22 and 30 at last week’s mayoral imbizo.

Held at Umhlali Prep on Thursday evening, the imbizo saw participation of around 35 Ballito, Salt Rock and Sheffield residents. The imbizo programme is an annual series of public meetings held by the KwaDukuza municipality (KDM), designed to offer a forum for residents to raise their concerns with municipal officials.

After opening addresses from newly elected mayor Ali Ngidi and other KDM officials, the floor was opened for questions, which focused on three umbrella issues.

1. Road Safety

The delay in repairing the damaged traffic lights on Ballito Drive proved a particular frustration for residents.

“I just have to question how liability works in this case. If I knock over a traffic light, how is it that there are no repercussions for me?” said the Dolphin Coast Residents and Ratepayers Association’s (Docrra) Flip Helberg.

KDM’s electricity executive director, Sibusiso Jali, did not respond directly to the liability issue, but said the delay in repairing the traffic lights was out of the municipality’s hands.

“Most traffic lights are either owned by Sanral or the Department of Transport, we just act as the contractor. The funds have to come from them,” said Jali.

Docrra’s Mary Kassam raised the high number of accidents and deaths on local roads and called on officials to provide more traffic police visibility on major roadways.

A number of residents also mentioned the ongoing flouting of road laws by taxis, despite the e-hailing intimidation appearing to have stopped.

KDM’s executive director of community safety, Cecil Viramuthu, said residents could share evidence of incidents with his team for further investigation.

2. Electricity

The continued high rates of electricity losses were again highlighted, with KDM’s loss rate increasing to 30% in the first quarter of 2024/25. Residents were also interested to know when they might be able to sell privately generated electricity back into the municipal grid, such as in the Western Cape.

“The tariff has to be put in place first. We have approached Nersa (the energy regulator) and they said a cost of supply study needed to be done. After that, community engagement will also need to be undertaken,” said Jali.

As for electricity stability in the area, Jali said he expected the new Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (Scada) system to be online by June next year and the Dukuza substation to be completed by the end of 2025.

3. Beach control

Heading into the busiest season of the year, residents raised red flags over the level of oversight on local beaches, as well as the maintenance of public ablution facilities. Executive director for Community Services, Siyabonga Khanyile, said he would look into the maintenance of public facilities.

“These are issues at operational level. The plans for maintenance are in place, it is operational staff who are at fault. We will look into it,” he said.

As for oversight, Viramuthu said the municipality’s festive policing plan would provide a host of extra visible police and community safety officers on the beaches alongside local private companies and organisations.

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