Ward 89 councillor Zander Shawe has launched a new community-driven initiative aimed at tackling the real issues affecting residents head-on.

Aptly named Klap ’n Toon, the project is designed to bring the councillor closer to the ground and give residents a direct voice in identifying major service delivery challenges across the ward.

Read more: Ward 89 councillor launches initiative to tackle community issues head-on

“As a councillor overseeing a ward of around 30 000 to 35 000 people, I don’t always see or know about the major issues. The area is just too big for one person to cover,” Shawe explained. “I want to involve the community to help point me toward the issues that matter to them – the ones they want me to tackle.”

Under the initiative, Shawe will dedicate one day each week to drive through the ward, engaging directly with residents who can highlight pressing problems that need councillor 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. I’ll be on the ground, documenting and reporting them myself so I can push the matter with the relevant entities and get it resolved.”

Also read: Rest and rejuvenation for Ward 89 residents

Shawe emphasised that the success of Klap ’n Toon depended heavily on community participation. He encouraged residents to log issues through the proper channels and send him the reference number.
“If residents aren’t on my councillor groups, they need to contact me directly so I can add them, because I’ll be using WhatsApp for this initiative.”

Residents are asked to share both the details of the problem and its exact location to help the councillor respond more efficiently.

Explaining the name of the initiative, Shawe broke down its distinctly South African flavour:

“Klap literally means slap, hit, or strike, but in our slang, it means to deal with or take action. ’n means ‘a’ or ‘the,’ and Toon can mean toe, tone, or sound, but colloquially, it also means to show up or make a move.

“So Klap ’n Toon roughly translates to ‘take a step and act’ or ‘move and tackle it.’ As a child, we always said klap ’n toon if you were going to walk somewhere, or klap ’n issue if you were going to fix something. It’s about being on the ground, tackling issues. That’s exactly what this initiative is all about.”

With Klap ’n Toon, Shawe hopes to bridge the gap between residents and local government, one step and one issue at a time.

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