How we can get service delivery back on track in Joburg by Cllr Leah Knott - DA Joburg Cauc

How we can get service delivery back on track in Joburg
by Cllr Leah Knott - DA Joburg Caucus Leader

18 August 2021

We can all see the potholes and feel the cold when the power is out, but getting these basics right is something that the City of Johannesburg can and must get right - residents must get the services that they deserve. This will happen when we focus on getting the basics right.

The new mayor recently committed to making Fridays the day for service delivery and for officials to get out on the ground. This is where we have to make the first and most important change every day is service delivery day - it is the most important responsibility of any city. Claiming accelerated service delivery days or wars on potholeswater leaks is just admitting that youre not doing your job in getting the basics right.

All DA councillors are constantly on the ground dealing with power outages, water leaks, and hundreds of other issues that city officials are paid to handle. We know whats going wrong and are committed to getting officials to do their job.

Mr Mayor, here is what you need to do

1. Get all officials back to work. Some departments and companies are still operating on level 5 lockdown. Get proper PPE and sanitation in place that doesnt cost R3000 for a bottle of sanitiser and get all teams back on the ground. 10 wont cut it - we need 100. If Tshwane and Midvaal can do it then Joburg can too.

2. Give officials tools to work from home. Departments and companies have spent millions on laptops and 4G cards but arent giving them out. This isnt rocket science.

3. Start spending the money youve been given. If officials cant or wont spend it on repairs, maintenance, and upgrades, then get rid of them and hire qualified people who can. If you can blow R600 million in the first four months of lockdown on PPE and fogging empty buildings, then you can spend the same amount fixing water leaks, installing traffic cameras, replacing guardrails, and upgrading substations. Get your tenders in order.

4. Get the asphalt plant running at 100. Weve spent millions on this to have enough asphalt on hand to repair and resurface our roads councillors are told this daily. Youve seen the state of the roads, so there is no excuse for this plant not producing the millions of tons of asphalt that it is capable of.

5. Put a bomb under CRUM. This department and its dedicated urban inspectors are in charge of tracking all the breakages, faults, leaks, and other issues across the city. Make them do their job, and make sure that city departments and companies like City Power and JRA follow through on what has been reported. Close the feedback loop.

6. Stop City Power cooking the books. Residents tell us every day that their complaints are closed off without being resolved so that City Powers numbers will look good. We know the reality, and you need to own it.

7. Protect our power grid. Substations and minisubs must be fenced off, have cameras and alarms that are linked to the JMPD and local security companies to prevent theft and vandalism, and there must be dedicated security teams patrolling areas where frequent cable theft happens.

I know youre new and have never been a ward councillor, but please listen to us when we point out the problems. We represent thousands of residents and are in constant communication with them and the situation on the ground. We want to work together and build a better Joburg.

Media enquiries

Cllr Leah Knott
DA Joburg Caucus Leader
082 633 9070 leahkda.org.za

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