This week’s question is:
How can we, as residents, work with ward councillors to better our suburbs? Are there certain ways of communicating with you or certain ways we should log queries so that something can actually be done about them?
Philip Kruger, Ward 86 councillor, answered:
All councillors in the City of Johannesburg welcome and encourage residents to work with them. There are several ways residents can become involved in their wards. For example, availing themselves for the ward committee, being part of residents’ associations, community policing forums and attending public meetings taking place in the ward.
The City’s Integrated Development Plan (IDP) process is also a valuable platform for residents to communicate with the City. Projects like A Re Sebetseng, other community initiatives and ward-based projects are also opportunities for residents to take an active role in their communities.
Public meetings give the ward councillor an opportunity to give feedback to the residents of the ward about what is happening in the ward, successes and challenges. They also allow the residents an opportunity to raise concerns, ask questions and make suggestions.
The most important way a resident can be active in their ward is by reporting service delivery issues to the relevant authorities. Once an issue has been logged, a reference number is created for that specific issue. If it has not been attended to within a reasonable time, residents can escalate the issue with the reference number to the relevant department via the councillor or the Urban Inspector. Urban Inspectors can be contacted at the Citizen Relations and Urban Management within the region. There are several ways residents can log issues. Many residents’ associations also take ownership of their suburbs by actively logging issues, taking care of parks and open spaces and beautifying pavements and gardens at big intersections.
Residents who want to take a more active role in their suburbs or wards can always contact the councillor directly.
Councillors are available by phone, email, SMS or Whatsapp. Many wards also have Facebook pages or groups and councillors and many times, also have Twitter handles.
Do you have a question for a ward councillor?
Councillor’s Corner is a platform for you, our readers, to voice your concerns or questions for ward councillors to respond to.
Different, willing, ward councillors will respond to a question each week.
Email your burning question to aimeed@caxton.co.za and let’s get the ball rolling.
