Last week eThekwini Municipality hit back at the ICC’s claims that Isipingo has been allowed to fall into a state of disrepair after the association accused the municipality of allowing the CBD and surrounding areas to deteriorate.
Municipal spokesman, Thabo Mofokeng said Isipingo had received numerous town centre upgrades over the last 10 years, including the upgrade of Phila Ndwandwe Road (Old Main Road) and the construction of a new taxi rank.
Added to this is the Isipingo Town Centre Regeneration Programme which focuses on upgrading the public infrastructure, public transport and social services, urban decay management and business retention, and investment promotion.
“Being a resident of the area over the 47 years of my life since birth, improvements to the area can be handpicked,” said the ICC’s chairman, Ajay Hanoomaun. “Promises made and not kept to date.
If the municipality cannot remove a tree that is growing on the pavement for the past four years, what guarantees have we these project and improvements are going to take place?
All that is being done now in the CBD is for the illegal vendors and taxis, not the residents. What about our community – where are our pavements? Why is there no service delivery? Where are our recreational areas?
This area has not been serviced in the past 5 to 10 years. By the time the first project is completed, the rest of the area will go backwards and cost ratepayers more.
We need basic service delivery. We don’t want to know what the long-term goals are because we know this will be forever. Just like the municipality promised us an upgrade on Inwabi Road since opening it from Umlazi into Isipingo.”
