ETHEKWINI Municipality has committed to addressing issues in lower Umbilo and Congella, following complaints by Umbilo Business Forum (UBF) that this is a ‘forgotten’ area.
What’s more UBF says there is a lack of communication between the municipality and business.
On a drive around with Sikho Msomi, chair of the UBF, and Ian Campbell-Gillies, policy director for the UBF, the lack of service delivery in the area was evident – sewage leaks in roads are rife, unfinished road works and construction are unsightly, and litter is strewn on the streets.
Speaking about what he calls the ‘economic failures’ in Umbilo, Campbell-Gillies said this is very apparent in this area, and evidence of this is the disjuncture between the formal and informal sector and endemic poverty and crime.
He said in order to secure the business environment of Umbilo, both formal and informal, the UBF executive made a course alteration from merely focusing on policing in the area between 2010 and 2015, to focus on dealing with causes of crime and poverty in the area.
“We found the absence of ownership in Dalton Hostel and the Beerhall meant people weren’t invested in property assets, there was minimal service provision by the municipality, and this neglect equated to an attack on personal security or residents in the area, generating immense social fragility. There was also critically inadequate policing and inadequate road traffic planning and policing,” said Campbell-Gillies.
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He said while the UBF is a volunteer, non-funded organisation, its interventions have been small, but effective. An example of this has been the job creation project at Congella Park, where previously disadvantaged people in the area have been given purpose and an income, as well as the initiation of a project to cover the Alan Paton Road Aqueduct, aimed at alleviating traffic congestion.
Communication needed between municipality and business
“Advocacy with regard to the skin trader business community in Sydney Road has had results, however a contract/tender for a new building for the skin traders has not been transparent, and the building, which will be done in phases, is overpriced,” he said.
Work started on the building last year, but there has been inaction for months.
Msomi said requests for information on the tender for this structure, and the appeal to give the tender to local business, fell on deaf ears.
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“Contracts for projects such as this and the covering of the Alan Paton Aqueduct have gone to contractors outside of the area, and has produced little benefit for the Umbilo businesses and the jobless. The challenge is transparency in terms of governance of the area. Proactive municipal engagement is zero. The municipality needs to be proactive and involved with business or residents in the area,” he said.
Municipality responds
Responding to these complaints, the municipality’s spokesperson, Msawakhe Mayisela, said: “As a caring city, eThekwini Municipality has a dedicated team of staff members who strive to provide superior service to all city residents. Service delivery remains our key priority. Addressing these issues that have been raised will need a multi-disciplinary approach as different departments such as Electricity, Engineering, Land Use Management and Metro Police to name a few, would have to be involved. The different Departments have been alerted to the different issues raised and they will be attended to.”
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