Following our recent telephonic communication I wish to draw your attention to the following issues:
A water meter was replaced at 13 4th Avenue Springs in the week September 23 to 27 . Shortly after it was installed we found that there was a leak and water was running across the pavement. Worst of all our meter is registering this water usage. When I phoned the council about the water leak the operator told me that he did not know where 13 4th Avenue (CBD) Springs is . He said that 13 4th Street in Springs is an agricultural holding.
The meter was installed in the direct path of pedestrians.
The manhole cover and frame for this water meter was stolen about a year ago and after many attempts to have this repaired – nothing happened.
I raised this issue and many other problems in our CBD at the special meeting held in the Palm Springs Shopping Centre Parking lot in April , but nothing has changed.
The manhole covers for the sewerage lines have been stolen , and every so often they get blocked as a result of papers and plastic bags being blown into the manholes. The council workers come out , remove the sewerage infested garbage, leave this on the pavement and leave saying that now it is unblocked . Surely the council workers need to get some sort of training , or at least a black bag or bucket to put the rubbish in.
When I asked the council workers to replace the manhole covers they gave one of a few different excuses: a) They don’t have any but as soon as they are available they will replace them. B) They cannot replace them because I need to do it myself.
The pavement in town is very uneven in places and nothing gets done about it . It surprises me that the islands in Nigel Road , where maybe five people cross over daily, needs to be paved at a huge expense, and the CBD where thousands of feet move daily is left in a shocking , uneven and dangerous condition. n The reference number for my water leak problem is 886060 and for my blocked sewerage problem is 886066. This was reported on September 27. To date (October 1) nobody has been to sort out the problem, and after holding on, on the phone for more than an hour to follow up on the call, I gave up when the telephone line died on me.
I noticed that the telephone number of municipal services is 0860 543 000. That’s for Boksburg, Vosloorus, Brakpan, Geluksdal, Tsakane, Edenvale, Germiston, Kathlehong, Kempton Park, Tembisa 1 and 2, Nigel, Duduza, Springs, KwaThema, Alberton, Tokoza, Benoni, Daveyton , Etwatwa. It is absurd that one telephone number with probably one operator is responsible for deling with all Ekurhuleni municipal service issues. Maybe this is done intentionally so that nobody can complain. No wonder the operator does not even know where the Springs CBD is.
I have said it before and will say it again – No self respecting person will come to the Springs CBD, and with the Council’s attitude the situation will only get worse.
Business will get worse and properties devalue if nothing gets done.
Jos Rokebrand
I share the writer’s frustration when he talks about the call centre and the absolute disregard some departments have for responding to complaints in Springs. The CBD has received a lot of attention through the R4 million acupuncture project that was launched earlier this year, but a lot more can be done.
I would advise residents and business owners not to call the call centre currently as the call centre is a disaster at the moment, and despite various promises by our mayor this has not been resolved yet and it only adds to the frustration.
Residents are encouraged to phone 011 999 8517. This is the Customer Area Manager office. All departmental heads report to this office, it is also the channel we as councillors use to report problems in our wards.
Please note that this does not mean all complaints will be resolved speedily if you contact this number, but at least it is a another contact that can be used.
Unfortunately, the reality of the current situation is that Ekurhuleni Metro is not prioritising our CBD at the moment, and the little money that is there to be spent on maintenance is not enough. The infrastructure in the CBD is old, and it needs to be prioritised.
Let me just add that a friendly voice on the other side of the line(if it eventually does get answered) would make a huge deference to a resident that is complaining, but I am afraid to say maybe that might be to much to ask.
Dean Stone
DA ward councillor
