Report municipal faults accurately

EDITOR – It is with growing concern that we note the continued practise of residents reporting municipal faults or complaints to social media or local chat groups – none of which are monitored by the departments that are expected to react.

Likewise relying on third parties to both report on and supply updates to what is essentially problems that they could and should be reported by residents personally. In following up on some of the overdue repairs and attendance, we found that reporting information is often incorrect, lacking in specifics or in the case of email correspondence, reported without a contact number.

We reiterate that these repairs are not necessarily attended by local depots, but by teams or contractors who are not from and who do not know the area like the local residents. It is thus essential that correct street names and numbers are supplied, or where such numbers don’t exist or problems are along stretches where numbers don’t correspond, the closest street light pole number along with a contact number of the complainant who actually knows what and where the problem is.

This is extremely important, as technicians in the field do not have access to email and neither is there time to wait for email correspondence via the call center to clarify a location or fault detail. Then there is the tendency to report the same problem over and over on a hourly or daily basis in the hope that it will attract quicker response.

Quite the contrary, as in fact all it serves to achieve is further delay, as each new report results in the creation of a new job card that gets given to a repair team or contractor as attendance is done in sequence of report.

Thus if the first team has already picked up the job card for the first complaint for attendance in terms of reporting sequence, and the second and third gets given to other teams, not only does it delay repairs when the second or third team has to travel to a repair that is possibly then already attended by the first team, but cost is also incurred towards these dry runs.

• Report sewage, burst pipes, potholes, overhanging branches or anything that has nothing to do with electricity to eservices@durban.gov.za or call 0803-111-111.
• Incorrect billing or anything financially related to revline@durban.gov.za – clearly reflect the account number, address, name of the complainant, a contract number and state what exactly is expected.
• Anything related to electricity, whether domestic or faulty street lights or traffic signals to custocare@elec.durban.gov.za or call 0803-111-111
• In addition only water related faults, whether fresh or waste water, can be reported via WhatsApp to 073-148-3477.

Note and preserve the reference number for each complaint as it is essential to quote when following up on progress as well as escalating should the municipally fail to act within a reasonable time.

There is not a team just sitting in wait to immediately respond to each and every enquiry the very moment its reported. The municipality on average receive in excess of 4 000 complaints in a 24 hour cycle – some are quick fix while others are more complicated and time consuming with complaints that effect larger areas, blocks or suburbs being prioritised to problems that effect single dwellings or users.

Don’t wait for someone to report a problem, rather become that someone.

CLLR ANDRé BEETGE – 082-718-8137

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