This week, Naledi Mokoena from North Riding asks:
What are the biggest misconceptions residents have about service delivery?
Ward 97 councillor Leah Knott answers:
1. Metro police’s role is largely misunderstood, many assume that they only issue fines or have roadblocks. They work with police in combating crime and are solely responsible for all city bylaw enforcement which includes, among others, traffic bylaws, outdoor advertising, noise control and illegal dumping. They spend a lot of time and effort assisting city entities in enforcing these bylaws.
2. Residents have assumed on multiple occasions that infrastructure issues are the cause of recent power failures which, while it is true that infrastructure does need upgrading, these have largely been due to private contractors and cable theft.
3. Service delivery complaints are sometimes directed to the wrong entity which delays resolution or results in no action being taken.
4. The installation of traffic calming measures requires a 70 per cent resident acceptance, an in-depth investigation, traffic impact assessment by the Johannesburg Roads Agency as well as budget allocation. These items cannot just be logged and implemented as they affect emergency vehicle reaction times, carbon emissions and traffic congestion.
5. Tarring of roads must be submitted on the Councillor’s Integrated Development Plan (IDP) for budget approval at council level and it is then allocated for future implementation. Gravel roads are also not graded continuously as it compromises the road itself and reduces the surface level.
Do you have a question for a ward councillor?
As a local newspaper, the Randburg Sun provides a platform for residents to learn about, understand and follow local government. As an extension of that, there is a weekly column called Councillor’s Corner which is a platform for you, our readers, to voice your concerns or questions for wardcouncillors to respond to.
Different, willing, ward councillors will respond to a question each week.
E-mail your burning question to: aimeed@caxton.co.za and let’s get the ball rolling.
