eTHEKWINI Municipality has denounced media reports quoting the head of the parks, recreation and culture unit suggesting that council has stopped burials on Sundays and that no lifeguards will be available, also on Sundays at certain times, due to overtime implications.
“No such decisions have ever been taken by council. The expectation is that municipal units must continue to provide normal services to communities and internal issues of overtime management should not be allowed to adversely affect and unnecessarily inconvenience members of the community. Concerns about the escalation of overtime costs are being dealt with internally and the affected units have been instructed to come up with better ways of managing the situation,” said city manager Sibusiso Sithole.
The following services will continue to be available as normal:
- Health workers manning weekend clinics and programmes.
- Security officers in all units working to secure facilities and buildings.
- Cemetery and crematoria staff.
- Lifeguards at beaches and pools.
- Fire officers.
- Disaster management officers during events and disasters.
- VIP security on a case by case basis.
- Caretakers of halls.
“The municipality assures residents that the leadership of the city is committed to providing basic services to communities we serve and take seriously the principles of government’s back to basics programme which seeks to create a local government that is responsive and sensitive to the needs of its communities.
In this regard, any possible transgression or misrepresentation of internal policies will be investigated and remedial actions taken.
