In an effort to get hands on with the real issues affecting residents, Ward 89 councillor Zander Shawe has launched a new community-driven initiative. The project, aptly named Klap ’n Toon, meaning to take a step and act, is designed to bring the councillor closer to the ground, and to give residents a direct voice in identifying major service delivery challenges across the ward.

Read more: Rest and rejuvenation for Ward 89 residents

“As a councillor overseeing a ward of around 30 000 to 35 000 people, I don’t always see, or am aware of, the major issues. The area is just too big to cover for one person,” Shawe explained. “I want to involve the community to assist in pointing me to the issues that are relevant to them, and that they want me to tackle.”

Also read: Ward 89 to focus on small projects

The initiative will see Shawe dedicating one day each week driving through the ward, engaging directly with residents who can point out pressing problems that need the councillor’s attention — from large potholes and broken street infrastructure, to sewage leaks and other long-standing service issues.

“These are the big issues that can’t just be fixed with a log and escalation,” he said. “I’ll be on the ground, documenting and reporting them myself, so that I can drive the matter with the relevant entities to get them resolved.”

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