Neglected suburb: Merebank residents call for urgent service delivery improvements

THE once-flourishing Merebank, a suburb on the south of Durban, is now plagued by failing sewerage systems, unkempt vacant municipal land, and neglected community facilities.

Residents from wards 68 and 75 shared their frustrations and hopes for change ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections, with many calling for independent candidates who understood community needs.

The POST spoke to residents from these wards, about their plight and hopes ahead of the elections.

Ward 68

Brian Govindsamy, a resident for the past six decades, said they previously did not have service delivery issues. 

“The verges were always maintained; you would never find the grass as high as your knee. We also did not have to repeatedly calling the eThekwini Municipality to cut the grass or collect our dirt. I cannot say when exactly they started neglecting the area, but it has been a long time, and it is getting worse. 

“The long grass and bushes are attracting rats and snakes. Residents, especially our elderly and children from the nearby schools, have to walk on the road because of this. It is not safe. The trees have also not been pruned and poses a hazard for drivers. These are basic services that should be provided, but months go by, and the situation just gets worse,”  he said. 

Govindsamy said he would still be voting. 

“It is my right to vote and I will exercise it with the hope to see change. Currently, our councillor does not do much to get these concerns addressed.

“I hope that there is an independent candidate - from the community and who understands our plight – that will contest this election. They must use their position in government to uplift our community. I also feel that should councillors not deliver, they must be removed from their positions immediately. A person should not earn a salary doing nothing,” he said. 

Strini Pillay, who has been living in the area for more than 20 years, said one of the greatest challenges was the incorrect billing for water and electricity. 

“We are aware that millions of rand was spent on the municipality’s billing system to ensure that we do not get incorrect bills. But at the end of every month, residents - especially the pensioners -  many of whom live on their own, are receiving bills of between R3000 to R5000. How is that possible? In some cases, the metres are not read and it is an estimated amount. 

“People are then forced to pay these high amounts, or enter into payment agreements. It is sad as our people are suffering and have to choose between putting food on their table or paying the bill to ensure their utilities are not disconnected or hat they do not fall into arrears,” he said. 

Pillay said he would be voting, and also hoped for an independent candidate from the community. 

“These councillors from the big parties are not helping us. We need someone that understands the needs of the community, and prioritises service delivery.” 

Sandra Chetty, who has lived in the area for about 18 years, said the lack of maintenance to the sewerage system was a major issue. 

“For the past seven years I have been affected by a sewage backflow entering through my shower when we open the water, and when we flush the toilet. I have reported it several times to the municipality, and they send workers to clean the sewage line, but the problem persists. The sewage line is blocked. It is only a matter of days until the lid of the manhole in my yard lifts and there is faeces in my yard. 

“It has come to a point where we do not invite people to our home because of the stench inside the house. It is embarrassing, we feel ashamed. We cannot even eat without feeling sick. 

“What is most frustrating is that we pay our rates, but we are not getting any services. Merebank is an old area, and the population has grown over the years; but nothing is being done to upgrade the infrastructure to accommodate this growth,” she said. 

Chetty said she would be voting and hoped for change. 

Clyde Nagiah, a resident for more than 55 years, said on his road there was a vacant municipal-owned land which had not been maintained for the past decade. 

“We were told that this was going to be a park for the community, but it is all bush. It has never been cleaned, they just clean the edges and go. There is also a staircase that runs through the land  leading to another road, but the bush has grown over it. 

“This land has become a space from illegal activities such as drug use, and illegal dumping. We also have streetlights that are on the entire day and night, which is a waste,” he said.  

Nagiah said he would be voting and hoped for a cleaner suburb. 

Sharin Rajman, a resident and community activist in ward 68, said the municipality had failed the residents. 

“It is sad to see our once beautiful suburb deteriorate. It is also disappointing to see when repairs are conducted to burst pipes or potholes there is shoddy workmanship. 

“Residents cannot continue to cry for help. We need the services that we are paying for as loyal ratepayers.  It has come to a point where the residents, community activities and environmentalists have regular clean-ups, using monies from their own pockets. We can only hope that this year there will be change, and no more excuses such as there is no budget. It is not acceptable,” she said. 

Rajman said he appealed to residents needed to refrain from illegal dumping. 

“Residents should know which days that the Durban Solid Waste (DSW) comes into the area. Put out your refuse then and do not throw it on the roadside, especially near our schools. You are not only worsening the situation in our community, but also forcing people to walk in the roads.” 

Victor Kupsamy, chairperson of the Merebank Alliance Forum, said the area was in urgent need of improved and responsive service delivery. 

“Unfortunately, the city appears complacent in addressing ongoing complaints, with residents often forced to log the same issues numerous times before any action is taken - if at all.” 

Kupsamy, said among the many service delivery issues, the sports facilities had been completely neglected. 

“Soccer clubs are forced to pay out of pocket for grass cutting which is unacceptable. At one of the sports grounds there are no lights - even though there are poles. We cannot have evening sports matches and training, and residents who want to use the grounds to exercise are unable to. 

“Residents also banded together and spent about R15 000 to repair the toilets at one of the sports grounds. It was not operational because the municipality said they could not find the sewer line. We are trying to assist them and have even asked to lease one of the sports grounds so we can maintain it, but we are still awaiting feedback,” he said. 

Kupsamy said the service delivery failures was not isolated incidents.

“They reflect a broader breakdown that directly impacts safety, health, dignity, and quality of life. We urgently call on the municipality to intervene decisively, provide timelines, and restore basic services that residents are entitled to.”

 Ward 75 - Chinatown and Navy

Anesh Sukhoo, a resident for more than six decades, said one of the major issues faced by residents was the poor drainage system. 

“There is always a blockage in the sewer line, and when it rains, it lifts up the manhole lids, and overflows into our yards, sometimes running under our doors into our houses. On my property, the walls have started to crack and the ground had sunk. We had engineers come and look at it, with promises they would ensure the necessary upgrades to the system so it does not continue, but that was four years ago and we eventually had to do repairs at our own costs as the insurance would not pay due to the cause.”

“The residents feel neglected and as if we are always hitting a dead-end with the municipality. We have called so many times asking for assistance, but we are given reference numbers, and forgotten,” he said. 

Sukhoo said he would be voting. 

“Every vote counts, so we have to pray that the people chosse wisely to ensure the right people are elected into positions and would make a difference in the lives of residents as our representative.” 

Navin Singh, a resident and chairperson of the Chinatown and Navy Civic Association, said service delivery in the community was a great concern. 

“We continuously write to the municipality about cutting the grass and bushes, fixing potholes and cleaning out the manholes, among other issues, but we have to wait weeks before anything is done. 

“One of the issues is a vacant municipal-owned land where the bushes have grown so high. It is not only an eye-sore but also attracts rodents and snakes, which then go into the neighbouring properties. 

“Another issue is our sports ground where the grass is not cut regularly, and when it is, it is still knee-deep. We have to pay for it to cut further-down. This is where our children play sports, and where we hold our annual Kavady. Residents are fed-up and take it upon themselves to clean the area. But, we question what we are then paying our rates for?,” he said. 

Singh said while he would be voting, he hoped for an independent candidate from the community. 

“We currently have no joy from our councillor, who is not from the area and is not easily accessible. We want someone that lives among us, and knows the plight, so they will want to make an effort to provide better living conditions for the residents.”  

Premilla Deonath, a resident and chairperson of the Merewent Community Foundation, said a community park was no longer usable due to the lack of upkeep.

“What was once a vibrant green space where families spent quality time together outdoors, weddings were celebrated, and nature thrived has been neglected. We had birds, butterflies, ducks, fishes and other species in the park, now there are just overgrown bushes. 

“We are calling for urgent restoration of the park. We want to reclaim a vital community asset and restore the ecosystem that once made it flourish. We urge the municipality to take action and big companies to step up their social responsibility. In other areas parks are flourishing and well taken care of by the municipality so why not Merebank?,” she said. 

Burton Jaganathan, a resident for the past seven years, said the verges were also not maintained. 

“The grass has grown to such an extent that on some roads you cannot see the pavements. When we ask for the grass to be cut, we are often told there is no funds, so they cannot hire contractors. We believe that the reason is because of either financial mismanagement or wasteful expenditure. We can only hope that the municipality will get its house in order this year, and prioritise providing better service delivery in communities as the frustration among residents is growing.” 

Jaganathan, who is also vice-chairperson of the Merewent Community Foundation, said they lend support to the civic association. 

“We initiate clean ups in certain spots where it is really bad and the municipality is not responding. Some communities have been forced to fill the gaps where the municipality is not functioning operational. However, it does make people upset as they are paying for the services.”

Jaganathan, who will be voting, said the community needed a leader who practises servant leadership.

“The community needs a councillor who understands the plight of the people and is selfless. He or she must have a passion to see their community be uplifted. They must be able to listen to the complaints of the residents, then push for them to be addressed by the municipality. That is the only way we will see improvements in service delivery in communities.” 

THE POST