ETHEKWINI Mayor, Zandile Gumede launched Durban’s first integrated toll-free customer service contact number, 080 311 11 11 and mayoral hotline 031 322 8200 on Monday.
Gumede said the integrated number and hotline were as a result of the municipality reviewing its Customer Relations management strategy and its aim to be more responsive, efficient and consistent in service delivery.
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The integrated toll-free number is for any queries relating to water, revenue, and electricity or to contact the City’s switchboard. The number is operational 24 hours. The mayoral hotline is open to the public and is for individuals who have exhausted all other processes of logging a complaint, requesting a service, etc. It is the last resort when all other avenues have failed. The office is already operational with a staff compliment of 10 trained people and currently operates on 12 lines.
“The hotline is an extension of our operational Sukuma Sakhe. We have systems in place to deal with escalated issues from the ground. We need to be accessible to the public and through the hotline we remain accessible.”
The launch of the two numbers follows the success of the ciy’s WhatsApp number for assisting customers in dealing with water and sanitation related matters.
Further to integrating customer service the municipality will be looking at more convenient technologically appropriate and cost effective intervention that will move it closer to being a Smart City.
In the pipeline is the new municipal mobile App. This App will allow a live interaction between the municipality and citizens to do various things such as to log Water and Electricity faults, check statements, events, weather and traffic.
“We will also have eThekwini Municipality TV which will be at the walk-in centres, displaying information such as services offered and any notices,” Mayor added.
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