Mayor Xaba rolls up his sleeves and seeks answers to address Inanda water challenges

EThekwini Municipality Mayor Councillor Cyril Xaba on 14 July visited ward 56 in Inanda Newtown A and Ngoqokazi areas to receive a first-hand report on inherent water challenges confronting the community. | Photo: Supplied. 

Just a few days after being sworn in as EThekwini Municipality Mayor, Councillor Cyril Xaba has hit the ground running. 

Today, Mayor Xaba visited ward 56 in Inanda Newtown A and Ngoqokazi areas to receive a first-hand report on inherent water challenges confronting the community.

The Mayor has vowed to seek answers from the administration as to why water challenges still persist in some areas of the municipality. In Inanda Newtown A, communities complained about the shortage of water since the 2022 floods. Other households raised complaints about their municipal bills which are too high. While some households in Ngoqokazi and Amatikwe have been experiencing intermittent water supply, others have been without water for five to 10 years and they continue to rely on water tankers.

“I have come to this area after receiving a phone call from the local councillor complaining about persisting water challenges. Having seen first-hand the challenges on the ground, I am now in a better position to understand the plight of the community and will be able seek appropriate answers from the administration as to why are we having these challenges and when are they planning to resolve them," said Mayor Xaba.

The community welcomed the Mayor’s visit and committed to working with the city to find long lasting solutions to the water challenges and other service delivery issues.

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Inanda road and bridge upgrade nears completion

Mlungisi Dlamini 

The reconstruction of road A3822 and bridge is expected to be completed soon. | Photo: Supplied. 

The repairs of road A3822, Ward 108 in Inanda are nearing completion. EThekwini Municipality teams are still on the ground working to restore the situation to normality after the devastating floods.

The Project Engineer Okuhle Luthuli said the repairs are extected to be completed by the end of July.  “The project is progressing well.  Monitoring and evaluations are conducted frequently to ensure that everything is still on track. The wing walls have been put on both sides of the culvert and gabions have been done on the sides of the road to ensure a strong balance on both sides. We have also employed residents to ensure that we create job opportunities for locals. We are currently backfilling and compacting the top structure of the road,” said Luthuli.

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City's Mobile App Gains Popularity With Residents

Zimbili Mazibuko

The City’s mobile app is proving to be a popular choice for residents to report service delivery issues, particularly relating to electricity and water, impressively resolving matters within the stipulated 48-hour turnaround time.

The app, which has over 86 000 downloads since its launch in 2023, is becoming the preferred tool to receive timely responses. Head of the Sizakala Unit, Mavuso Tshabalala said the app has made it easy for residents to report faults.

“We are pleased to see residents using the app as intended. This app was designed to empower residents to report issues promptly, and we are encouraged by the positive feedback we have received. Many of the reported issues, including loss of electricity, water supply disruptions, burst pipes and potholes, are being addressed within 48 hours, which speaks to the app’s effectiveness,” said Tshabalala. 

The City has intensified its efforts to promote the app as the primary channel for reporting service delivery concerns. As part of this campaign, 50 municipal buses will be branded with the mobile app to raise awareness among residents about its functionalities and benefits. The buses will be operating in places like uMlazi, Ntuzuma, KwaMashu and the City centre.

“We are excited about the buses that are already on the streets with our app. The more people see the buses, the more they will know about the app, and will subsequently download and use it. The app is an important tool for our residents. While we encourage the public to visit our Sizakala Centres for additional services, the app serves as an alternative for addressing common issues efficiently” said Tshabalala.

Residents can use the app to access emergency contact numbers, pay their Municipal bill via Masterpass, upload their meter readings, report faults, view and query their Municipal bill, link to tender platform and also link to the City’s digital media platforms. Residents can download the app on Google Play store, Apple App store and Huawei App gallery.

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