Durban - Some residents of Reservoir Hills, where locals have offered their own manpower and expertise to the city’s teams repairing flood damage, have been without running water for nearly a month.
Their councillor, Alicia Kissoon, on Monday sent a memorandum to Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda complaining that pleas for assistance had fallen on deaf ears.
Grievances also include electricity and sewage issues.
“I have engaged with control rooms, supervisors and superintendents as well as been on-site to speak to the supervisors in charge,” she wrote.
“I have provided photographs and videos so a clear assessment on damages and repairs required can be made prior to dispatch. I have had meetings with the municipality to list and highlight our damages and areas of concern and have exhausted all channels to have the voice of the community be heard through the structures,” she said in her letter.
Kissoon also said that because of the delay in response over days that went into weeks, ratepayers, through communal support and unity, had cleared roads, provided water and relief items, marked damaged roads and located and identified burst pipes to assist municipal plumbers.
“There are retired ex-municipal employees in our ward who assisted plumbers and electricians who did not appear to know the lay of the land and which allowed us to get faster relief,” wrote Kissoon.
“More than three weeks later, the ratepayers are still trying to fight the battle to get service delivery to restore some normality in their daily lives.”
She ended her letter: “A response and ultimatum of a response within 24 hours is required.”
However, the city told the Independent on Saturday it was not aware of whether the mayor had received the letter.
Spokesman Msawakhe Mayisela said: “We are also imploring everyone to be mindful of the fact that the damage caused by floods is quite huge and during this period it is of paramount importance that we put our differences aside and work together towards the situation.
“It should be noted that because of the floods, our electricity infrastructure will be affected, and this will cause frequent tripping.
“Like in many other areas, Reservoir Hills is also our priority. At this very moment our teams are hard at work, day and night, doing their best to meet the needs of our residents. We apologise for the inconvenience and assure residents that we will continue to do our best.”
The Independent on Saturday