ETHEKWINI Mayor Councillor Cyril Xaba, together with Speaker of Council Councillor Thabani Nyawose, held a critical meeting with the executives of the City’s ratepayers’ associations on 16 August. This engagement was part of a series of dialogues aimed at addressing ongoing service delivery issues, as well as introducing the new mayor to the ratepayer associations. The meeting presented an opportunity for the City leadership to provide feedback on several concerns raised in a previous meeting held in April. During the meeting, Mayor Xaba expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to engage with ratepayers and committed to ongoing dialogue with each association. “We have an obligation to listen to our ratepayers because we want them to be happy customers. Together, we can make this City work, not only for us but also for future generations,” said Mayor Xaba. 

EThekwini Municipality has taken several key actions since the last ratepayer association meetings, including enhanced law enforcement with the City recruiting more police officers and enforcing accountability to combat crime and ensure responsible governance. In terms of infrastructure improvements, measures are in place to fix water leaks, remove illegal connections, and upgrade water metres. The City has also started constructing the Upper Umkhomazi Dam to meet future water demand. Service delivery enhancements include a new service provider ensuring regular meter readings with a user-friendly billing format set to launch by November. 

Residents are also encouraged to use the Municipal app for convenience. Environmental upgrades include the City working to improve beach water quality by upgrading wastewater treatment plants. Norman Gilbert, representing the Provincial and Bluff Ratepayers Association, expressed satisfaction with the progress made in engaging with the City on behalf of residents.