THE four-week interruption of work that left many parts of eThekwini Municipality without essential services has been resolved, says the municipality.
According to Tozi Mthethwa, eThekwini Municipality spokesperson, this follows a series of meetings between city leadership and aggrieved parties to reach an amicable solution to end the service disruption.
She said that two weeks ago, the city filed a court interdict prohibiting the intimidation, harassment and assault of municipal employees and contractors.
“This was after a group had been threatening municipal staff as they tried to carry out their duties. Some private sub-contractors were also affected, as they were prevented from honouring their contractual obligations. The city has now started to address the backlog in service delivery especially in areas most affected by the disruptions,” she said.
Mthethwa said that areas which have been without water and electricity will be prioritised, and employees and contractors most affected by the threats are under constant support by security agencies.
“We want to thank residents for their patience during the interruption of services and give them the assurance that we are working around the clock to clear the backlog. We are confident that our residents and businesses will receive normal services soon. We will prioritise areas that are adversely affected,” she said.
Mthethwa said a joint operation committee, which will meet regularly to monitor the situation, has been formed. Depots that have been under siege will also be monitored to ensure that they are safe.
“As a city, we value our service delivery mandate to our citizens and will do our best to prevent further service disruptions,” she said.
