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Governmental intervention casts spotlight on ward 66 issues
The KZN legislature conducted a multiparty community stakeholder meeting to discuss pressing issues related to service delivery in all wards across the city on Tuesday, 22 September.
THE KwaZulu-Natal provincial legislature conducted a multiparty community stakeholder meeting to discuss pressing issues related to service delivery in all wards across the city on Tuesday, 22 September.
A joint meeting was held between wards 66 and 33 at the Glenwood Presbyterian Church.
“In true government fashion Cllr Mmabatho Tembe and I were informed of the meeting a few hours before it was scheduled to take place. This made it very difficult to ensure that as many community members as possible attended the meeting. However, members of the public in attendance had an opportunity to raise various issues facing each of their wards. One of the most prominent complaints were surrounding safety and security and the lack of resources available to SAPS. During the engagement I highlighted various priority areas within ward 66 related to environmental degradation, provincial interventions required, tourism development, service delivery and social services challenges,” said ward 66 councillor JP Prinsloo.
Under each of the priority areas several key issues were identified:
Environmental degradation
• Increase land invasion attempts in natural areas Durban Metropolitan Open Space System (DMOSS), wetlands, coastal forests and the Bluff slopes).
• Poor maintenance and protection of natural sensitive areas.
• Marine pollution along the Bluff coastline.
Service delivery challenges
• Lack of a disaster management evacuation plan for the South Durban Basin.
• Maintenance and upgrading of public parks.
• Delays in weed spraying and removal contacts.
• Faulty street lights not being repaired by the electricity department.
• High utility bills and estimated municipal accounts issued to residents.
• Poor service delivery by DSW (illegal dumping, refuse bags not being collected and ongoing internal work stoppages).
• Increased number of slum houses within the Bluff community and the inaction by the city to address the problem. • Chaos caused by taxis and scholar transport.
• Irregular issuing of informal trading licenses within the ward.
• Trucks illegally utilising residential roads to access the Durban harbour.
• Deteriorating road and sidewalk infrastructure.
• Business forums stopping municipal projects and demanding subcontracting work.
• Under resourced Metro police to prosecute by-law infringements.
Social services
• Increased number of homeless people and beggars within the ward and the lack of response from the city.
• Shortage of community caregivers (CCG) providing an essential service to the most vulnerable Bluff community members.
• A place of safety that is required to assist women and children exposed to gender-based violence (GBV).
Tourism development
• Delays in the implantation of the Bluff beach upgrades proposals.
• Access to the Bluff headlands to increase tourism and economic activity within the ward.
• Illegal tourism businesses operating without the required authority to operate.
Provincial government interventions
• The lack and delay of repairs of Transnet properties damaged during the 2017 storm.
• Particularly properties located in Charlmenlan and Whitehouse roads.
• Poor maintenance of military properties and vacant land.
• Informal settlements located on provincial government land.
• The transfer of the old World War Two building located in Treasure Beach to WESSA for educational purposes.
• Poor and delayed maintenance of SAPS vehicles.
• Lack of support provided to community policing forums (CPF) to tackle crime within the community.
Prinsloo added that honourable members of the legislature noted each of the issues raised and assured the public that it would be tabled at the respective provincial oversight committees.
“A report will also be compiled and issued to the eThekwini leadership to institute various interventions. Together with the Democratic Alliance members of the KZN Provincial Legislature, we will ensure that ongoing pressure is placed on the ruling party within legislature and the city to institute interventions addressing each of the issues highlighted,” he said.
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