Call centre to improve
Following the recent launch of the service delivery App “My Ekurhuleni”, the metro is retraining agents to improve services to those who still prefer to talk to a call centre agent.
This is aimed at addressing the concerns of the residents about the treatment they receive from the call centre agents and handling of issues reported through the call centre.
The agents will undergo retraining on the processes and procedures of taking calls that come through the call centre.
The call centre supervisors will also be undergoing retraining, to make sure that the standard procedure is followed by all agents.
To lodge a complaint or concern, a resident can email callcentresupervisors@ekurhuleni.gov.za, call 0860 543 000 or use the My Ekurhuleni App.
Fighting gender-based violence
The Ekurhuleni metro is, along with its partners and social services resources, attempting to decrease gender-based violence through the provision of counselling and other services for women and other vulnerable members of society.
The metro’s social workers provide counselling and place survivors at places of safety run by non-governmental organisations and link them with the police should there be a need to open a case.
Residents are urged to call the gender-based violence (GBV) national command centre on the 24-hour toll-free number, 0800 428 428, or, alternatively, use the USSD (Please Call Me) *120* 7867# or SMS “help” to 31531.
When a survivor calls the centre from a mobile phone, their location is made visible is to enable the GBV command centre to determine the caller’s closest resources (social worker, police station, hospital, safe house).
Junior councillors inaugurated
About 135 Grade Nine and Grade 10 learners were inaugurated as Ekurhuleni’s junior councillors on August 16, at the council chambers in Germiston.
The junior council is a programme led by Ekurhuleni’s Citizen Responsibility Campaigns Office, in conjunction with the Gauteng Department of Education, and is aimed at educating learners about local government systems. Learners are elected to serve as junior councillors, the selection of which is done through geographical and gender representation.
The sitting saw six new office bearers being sworn into the positions of junior mayor, junior deputy mayor, junior speaker, junior deputy speaker, junior chairperson of chairpersons and junior spokesperson.
Paving project in Actonville
The Non-Motorised Transport (NMT) project is an initiative aimed at the safety of cyclists, pedestrians and runners in Wards 29, 30 and 31, in Actonville.
The project, which got underway on August 4, will run from Birmingham street, through the informal settlement and into Joubert Street.
“We are expecting to be finished with the project this month,” said Haseena Ismail, Ward 29 councillor.
“It’s good for development in the area and residents will now have access to safer walkways,” said Ismail.
Roadshow will raise awareness on artists’ music and intellectual property rights
The Ekurhuleni metro and the Gauteng Department of Economic Development are inviting all SMMEs in the craft, fashion design, film and music industry to the Intellectual Property (IP) and Music Rights Awareness Roadshows set for September 7.
Roadshows will be hosted at the Germiston Theatre with the main objective being to bring the following services closer to communities:
• Copyright registration
• Registration for royalty distribution
• IP Legal Protection and contracting advisory
• Sponsorships towards market ready crafters
• Registration for SMME financial and non-financial support
Entities such as Southern African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO), South African Music Performance Association (SAMPRA), Recording Industry of South Africa (RISA), Association of Recording Companies (AIRCO), Marketing Association of South Africa (MASA), Composers, Authors and Publishers Association (CAPASSO) and many others will be there on the day.
For more information and to RSVP contact Busi Simelane on 011 999 8334 or email busi.simelane@ekurhuleni.gov.za.
Free chess classes
The Ekurhuleni metro’s library and information services are challenging young and old residents to participate in a game of chess and equip them with skills to become professional players by availing graded coaches to give them free chess classes.
The programme will run for a period of one year and will see learners from local schools and community members graduating from the programme with skills that they can apply in their day-to-day experiences.
The objective is to assist and develop the players into professional chess players by providing chess sets, clocks and notation books, and to rope in highly rated local coaches.
The metro would like to host the first inter-library tournaments in September with the participation of about 19 libraries and chess community organisations.
The programme is supported through the metro’s Grant-In-Aid programme and classes are free at the metro’s libraries.
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