Joint city forum lobbies for Isipingo resources

Isipingo residents and business owners’ frustration and anger over the suburb’s declining condition and poor service delivery is hopefully over.

eThekwini Municipality, through its economic development unit and South Durban Basin (SDB) Area Based Management (ABM) department, has engaged in road infrastructure upgrades and numerous clean-up operations in Isipingo over the years.

These upgrades and clean-ups have been difficult to sustain due to several other complicated and crucial issues.

City manager, Sibusiso Sithole requested an inter-departmental urban management forum be established, comprised of senior municipality officials, to address key strategic issues that affect service delivery challenges in the precinct and provide strategic direction, advice and guidance for devising a turnaround strategy for Isipingo.

“This forum has been constituted and begun its work,” said head of ABM, Linda Mbonambi.

“Key challenges identified to be concentrated on in Isipingo are derelict buildings, chaotic informal trading, public transport, lack of enforcement, crime and drugs, and poor service delivery. The urban management forum has been mandated to address these issues as a matter of urgency.”

Chairman of the forum and SDB ABM area manager, Eurakha Singh said she was encouraged by the co-operation and interest from internal municipal departments who have all registered their commitment to Isipingo.

“Work streams have been set up to address key challenges and a process to lobby for extra resources for Isipingo has begun,” she said.

A precinct office is being set up in the Isipingo CBD and a team headed by a precinct co-ordinator and a team of zone support officers are being geared for work in the area.

The aim of the precinct management team is the pro-active identification of service delivery backlogs and the reporting and fast-tracking of complaints through the precinct office, which falls under the ABM unit.

Work has begun already, with weekly daytime and night enforcement blitzes being held.

A comprehensive stakeholder engagement process will also be undertaken to include all key stakeholder groupings to participate and be part of the solution for Isipingo. Some of the key stakeholders that will be engaged are businesses, residents, traders and public transport providers to name a few.

“eThekwini Municipality is committed to working towards achieving the broad outcome and vision to create a renewed and regenerated Isipingo that functions smoothly and efficiently, free of crime and grime,” said Singh.

“This is no easy task, which is projected to take many years to complete, but with the support and commitment of all stakeholders, it is a dream that can be realised.”

 
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