DURBAN - Accountability, regulated trading around the city, the hiring of qualified staff and cutting outsourcing were among some of the things that some residents felt needed to be done to turn Durban around.
Durbanites responded to what needed to be done to turn Durban around and make it the most liveable and affordable city to live in, a question posed by African Democratic Change leader Visvin Reddy on his Facebook page after 6am on Sunday.
Reddy said: “Hi everyone. I’m starting a discussion titled, "What must be done to turn Durban around and make it the most liveable and affordable city to live in". You are welcome to share your views but don't be rude or insulting. Come up with constructive suggestions and solutions and let's make Durban the best it can be.” (sic)
More than 90 people reacted to the post. It had over 100 comments and was shared more than five times.
Here are some of the comments that received a lot of attention and reaction from other Facebook users:
Heila Montile-Tate: “Let's first get qualified people in govt and municipalities who can do their jobs without being rude or insulting. Put rules and regulations in place and start to practice the same. Those that are in jobs for the money, get rid of them. We need people who want to serve their communities.”
Lacey Jane Pett: “Get the people who are paid to do a job to do it. Only send the number of people required to do the job to a job. Stop outsourcing and start employing. This way, less tender fraud will occur. Employ people with the skills to do the job. Fire those who do not do their job. Hold the municipality accountable at all times. Stop listening to the municipality's lies that they have no money. If they didn't steal it, overpay and abuse it, there would be more than enough. Councillors to do more oversight on the work done in their wards and hold the municipality responsible for shoddy workmanship normally by bribed contracts.”
Darryl Heerman: “The Municipality needs to be overhauled. People have lost faith in that. Basic service delivery not fulfilled.”
Tammy Khan: “Hi Visvin, we need focused, honest and trustworthy people in the municipality. Roads need to be repaired. Dense bushes cleaned, companies adopting spots and making it look nice. Efficiency in the police station. Re-look at prepaid water and lights systems to curtail people from suffering.”
Themba Mkhize: “The city must remove all the drug addicts that have put the city under siege. Most buildings need to be renovated. Trading around the city needs to be regulated, not what is happening now.”
Rhonda Naidoo: “More flea markets for the traders who used to trade at Stables, the old Thirstys, and the amphitheatre. The flea markets were closed, and no alternative given for these people. Paying recycling stations at every shopping centre. Clean up the Durban Point area ... Basically the entire Durban south. Have specific customer service telephone lines for the units, e.g. electricity, DSW, water, roads ... There's 1 or 2 numbers for all services ... And difficult to get through. Also many calls are logged for the same issues.. These need to be streamlined.”
Trever Sunthanam: “First thing, the city needs a proper clean up from the streets to the drug dens. Also, vendors need to stop overcrowding the streets. Currently, it's too difficult to walk in and around town.”
Bradley Dorasamy: “Jail all the corrupted politicians. Affirmative action is the same as apartheid. Drugs are crippling communities resulting in poverty and increase in criminal activities.”
Commenting on the post after three hours of his Facebook post, Reddy said: “Thank you for your suggestions. We need a cleaner city. I agree. Durban Central is like a dump. Seems more focus is on uMhlanga.”
Daily News