Isipingo businesses with the Isipingo Business Forum and residents attended a meeting on Wednesday, 8 February called by eThekwini deputy mayor, Fawzia Peer to address concerns about declining conditions and poor service delivery in the suburb.
Also at the meeting, co-ordinated by the South Durban Basin Area Based Management (SDB ABM), were municipal officials from all relevant departments and ward 90 councillor, Sunil Brijmohan.
Mr W Jadwat, a stalwart of Isipingo, expressed his disappointment in the way Isipingo had been left to decline. This was echoed by many other speakers.
“We have tried our best today, myself and officials, in meeting with affected parties. We have listened and will do our very best to ensure service delivery. The reporting line is the ward councillor, so ensure all complaints go to him,” said Cllr Peer.
Highlighted issues were safety, infrastructure upgrades, waste collection, informal traders and lack of support to business owners. Cllr Brijmohan cited that this was by no means an attack on officials or residents and business owners getting personal, but to rather achieve a clean and liveable town for everyone.
“Isipingo needs all of us in order to make it look better. It needs accountability and serious people to achieve our goal of a clean and liveable area,” said the councillor.
Eurakha Singh of the SDB ABM detailed the Isipingo regeneration strategy plan, which focuses on revitalising and regenerating the area.
She said the plan was not only to look at service delivery improvement, but to also look at a bigger picture that visualises an Isipingo going into future.
The objectives of the regeneration efforts in Isipingo are to restore, renew and transform the suburb into an efficient, vibrant, functional, socio-economic hub.
It is hoped that this will inspire communities and encourage a change in behavior and encourage business confidence.
She ended by saying that they require the support and partnership of all businesses to make Isipingo a better place to live, work and conduct business in.
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