EDITOR – In response to Mr Queripel’s letter headlined ‘Rolleston Place park earns trash status‘ in the SUN edition dated 17 February.
Unfortunately throughout eThekwini, residents are not receiving the level of service delivery that they are entitled to.
The lack of delivery is being experienced from most departments.
It is however more evident in the parks department as their duty is to keep our areas aesthetically pleasing.
From reports tabled in the community services committee meetings, it is evident that the parks, recreation, culture and cemeteries department is more interested in spending your money on fancy functions and festivals than servicing the needs of the ratepayers.
Due to what can only be seen as poor management, the contracts for co-ops to do verge cutting and weed poisoning were not renewed for almost two years. These co-ops were appointed late last year and now have the task of catching up on almost two years of neglect.
Unfortunately you will have no claim over the municipality if you cleaned the area. Although I fully agree that residents have the right to demand the services that they are entitled to, I also think we need to move away from the attitude of ‘I pay so they must do it’.
Yes, the municipality has an obligation to you but we also need to take pride in our area and do our bit to maintain the standards. It is our responsibility to report illegal dumping that cost us, as ratepayers, millions to clear every year. We need to take ownership of our verges so that the parks department can use their resources to maintain communal areas. We need to become a community that stands together to uphold the standards that we demand.
I have requested our parks department horticulturist to supply me with a programme for our area so that I can see the plan to restore our area to its former beauty.
I would also like to encourage all residents to attend their respective ratepayer’s association meetings.
- Yellowwood Park Ratepayers Association meets on the first Monday of every month at 6.30pm in the committee room at Yellowwood Park Civic Centre.
- Montwood Ratepayers meets at 6pm in Montclair recreational hall on the second Tuesday of each month.
I assure you as your ward 64 councillor that I am constantly fighting for your rights. If you have any queries you are welcome to contact me on 072-821-1917 or e-mail me on gavin.hegter@gmail.com.
CLLR GAVIN HEGTER
eThekwini ward 64
