EDITOR – In your edition of 6 March 2015 I found a report on the arrogance of the ANC (majority) Council spokesman (no name given), on the night noise problem, unacceptable.
I can vouch for being kept awake until well past midnight on a number of occasions in 2014 and we live in Glenwood. The council has a duty to protect the ratepayers (council’s employer) from this type of unruly and illegal behaviour. The ‘race card’ defence is getting stale nowadays as most people won’t swallow it any longer and it is no answer to justified complaints. So well done for reporting on this item.
This brings me to a personal problem – the failure to respond to a telephone call or properly written email on matters of concern. The call centre number is not an alternative for two reasons: the time taken to answer the call and the lack of knowledge or interest by the person taking the call. My last attempt ended when I thought I would be put through to someone able to deal with the particular question, and then was returned to the call centre number without a word!
That is equivalent of putting the phone down on a customer – dismissal material! Another example – topical today – is an email and reminder, asking simply whether an application form for a Senior’s Rates Rebate Renewal could be sent by email after certification, instead of having to visit, physically, one of its offices. The reason for writing is that the form sent did not provide for that alternative.
Surely this sort of inadequate service has a monitoring system? If not, why not?
I’ve had dealings with the City of Cape Town by phone and email and the difference between the two is vast. They specifically ask the caller to obtain the employee’s name and a reference at the end of the call. I’ve found them to be clear speakers, attentive listeners, happy to spell names and knowledgable. Why not in Durban? Their email responses have also been top class and prompt.
Malcolm Smith
Glenwood
