Shoddy service delivery has residents calling for action

LACK of service delivery in Morningside is posing a potential hazard for pedestrians and has local residents calling the city to action.

According to Janine Caramanus, a concerned resident of Percy Osborn Road, their problems started in February this year when an upgrade of the electricity box and cables at the Percy Osborn Road substation saw the eThekwini Electricity Department dig up trenches along both Percy Osborn and Bornick Roads.

“Since then the trenches along Bornick and Percy Osborn roads haven't been re-tarred which is causing a major problem to residents in the area. We have taken turns phoning various departments and have been sent from pillar to post to try to get them to finish the job and re-tar these patches. I have emailed and even sent pictures but nothing has been done.”

The men who initially laid the cables and fitted the electrical boxes told residents it would take seven weeks before they could fix the “dongas” and trenches on either side of the pavement and on the road. But after months of complaining, the trenches were filled but nobody returned to tar the road.

“You can't walk properly on the road and the uneven pavement could be hazardous to pedestrians especially the many elderly who live on the road. It is an accident waiting to happen. It is also very muddy and sandy and cars are always full of red mud. Something has to be done. It has been more than six months and they are still giving us the run around! We are paying rates to have these services provided. What are they doing with the money?” Caramanus asked.

She said residents at the block of flats she lives take care of the area and had paid to have the verge tarred recently so were very upset when it as dug up and left in a mess that “devalued their area.”

eThekwini's Electricity and Roads Departments were unable to give comment at the time of going to press.