Minor victory for eThekwini ratepayers as their concerns over tariff increases are heard

Durban — At least 11 250 signatures were recently signed by Durban residents in their fight against tariff increases.

Led by the eThekwini Ratepayers and Residents Association (ERRA), the association is happy that their concerns are being noticed and received by the municipality.

The signatures consisted of residents and affiliates from: Tongaat, Verulam, Phoenix, Reservoir Hills, Kenville, Effingham, Queensburgh, Savannah Park, Monteseel (Inchanga area), Chatsworth area, Croosmoor, Savannah Park and Moorton.

Chairperson of the Glenwood and Bulwer Road Ratepayers and Residents Association (GBBRRA), Keyuren Maharaj – one of the ERRA’s affiliates – said that the ERRA’s executive committee handed over its letter of objection along with 11 250 petition signatures to the office of the Speaker on Wednesday morning.

Maharaj said: “Our objection is based on a variety of issues that are affecting several wards/areas in the eThekwini Municipality and an increase in tariffs is unjustifiable. We propose a bi-monthly (every two months) meeting with the mayor, city manager and all relevant municipality heads of department to view and assess the status of service delivery.

“ERRA requires dedicated response teams to repair all of the currently damaged sewer and road infrastructure.”

Maharaj added that the eThekwini Municipality must find ways of containing costs rather than increasing revenue by manipulating rates. This is the reason why they want to renegotiate the proposed tariff increases for the financial year 2024/2025.

He concluded by saying that the ERRA intended building a solid and growing relationship with eThekwini Municipality and intended working together in the future to help the eThekwini community receive better service delivery at the best value for money.

In their objection, the ERRA said an increase is unjustified because:

• Funds collected are not invested in communities but line the pockets of corrupt officials and their family/friends.
• Councillors’ salaries and benefits do not match the work they do. Ratepayers, residential, and civic associations, together with their constituents, are now doing the work of paid officials but completely voluntarily.
• The council officials are paid excessively high salaries without any deliverables and performance targets in place. Bonuses are being paid to non-productive and/or underachieving officials.
• Municipal officials are inaccessible or, when accessed, cannot or refuse to offer meaningful assistance.
• The municipal call centre is inaccessible. The WhatsApp fault reporting line does not provide timeous reference numbers.
• Incompetent people or cadres are employed without proper skills or qualifications and are not fit for purpose.
• The incompetence of staff leads to the employment of consultants who are employed to do the work of the paid staff at twice the cost.
• Supervision of staff is very poor. It therefore costs more to do less. The is no post-completion inspection of work carried out.
• The council is overstaffed and should be downsized. More efficient staff, not more staff, should be hired.
• Finances and assets of the municipality are not properly controlled creating adverse audit findings. Uncontrolled spending is allowing malfeasance to entrench itself.
• Goods and services are procured at ridiculously high rates to the detriment of the ratepayers.
• Critical infrastructure issues, such as reservoirs running dry, have still not been resolved and promises of City officials are false and misleading.

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