THE South Durban Basin Area Based Management (SDB-ABM) team together with various eThekwini Municipality line departments held an assessment at the New York informal settlement in the Clairwood area and created an action plan that resulted in a major two day clean-up operation recently.
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Sifiso Xulu of the SDB ABM said, “Informal settlements represent spaces of marginality, inequality and deprivation in the urban landscape. Informal settlements are characterised by illegal occupation of land, and lack of basic services such as water, sanitation, and electricity. Given that the residents live on land occupied illegally, the improvements made to the dwellings are minimal to ensure protection from the elements of the weather and from crime.”
All service delivery departments were mobilised and played an active role in achieving fantastic results.
During this clean-up operation the following was accomplished:
- Health and waste education was shared.
- All storm water drains were unblocked.
- The entire road was cleaned and fumigated.
- Trees that were an issue for years blocking the sidewalks and causing accidents were trimmed.
- New ablution facilities were installed since the residents have been living in inhumane conditions for more than 10 years.
The informal settlement leadership and the ward secretary was very pleased with the fast service delivery, and congratulated Sifiso Xulu on coordinating the operation so well.
At the end of the debriefing session, Xulu said: “In order to achieve success like this, it is vital that all municipal departments, local residents and politicians buy into the common goal of an improved life for all.”
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Eurakha Singh Senior Manager, SDB ABM thanked the teams for their commitment and dedication to service delivery and expressed a desire to roll out these operations throughout the area.
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