ETHEKWINI www.durban.gov.za WEEKLY BULLETIN

By 2030 eThekwini will be Africa’s most caring and liveable City 1 July 2019 [Issue 172] UMLAZI WASTE REMOVAL CHALLENGES RESOLVED THEKWINI Municipality will create more jobs in the south Durban region as part of a revamped refuse Ecollection service. The Municipality is presently in the process of advertising positions to employ uMlazi residents as permanent employees to undertake refuse removal after a period of unrest in the area. The latest developments arose after the City’s ongoing efforts to address waste collection disruptions in uMlazi. The Municipality subsequently took a decision to utilize the in-house service for refuse collection until permanent staff is appointed. This was Acting eThekwini Mayor Fawzia Peer led by example when she rolled-up her sleeves and removed announced by KwaZulu-Natal waste in uMlazi following a period of unrest in the area. The Municipality has taken a decision to Premier to uMlazi utilise in-house services for refuse collection in uMlazi until permanent staff is appointed. residents on 29 June during a community engagement should follow rightful processes unfortunately this did not pan there is discernible evidence meeting on waste collection if they want to do business out as planned. that they are improving the challenges. with government,” said Premier “After numerous intervention wellbeing of our residents. We Premier Zikalala, who was Zikalala. to resolve the matter, the are proud of the tremendous accompanied by Education He said government was Municipality decided to strides that we have made as MEC , Public concerned with the wellbeing in-source the service as the the City with regard to giving Works and Human Settlement of the community. “As from to- disruption of waste collection economic opportunities to an MEC , day, we will ensure that we visit was poising health and array of contractors owned by Acting Mayor Fawzia Peer, all KZN municipalities to listen safety risks in the lives of the multitudes of our residents eThekwini senior management to our people and introduce residents,” said Councillor that were neglected by the old and councillors, said the government programmes and Peer. order.” Municipality is currently in a projects that will benefit them City Manager Sipho Nzuza He said the City will continue process of advertising posts to ensure that socio-economic shared the same sentiments. to use contractors in various to employ uMlazi residents challenges are resolved,” add- “It should be noted that this townships provided they live permanently to undertake waste ed Premier Zikalala. City under my leadership is not up to their mandate. “The collection. Councillor Peer said: “As the going to advance the agenda hundreds of millions that we “As government, who is Municipality we regret that the of RET if it is going to threaten have and still are putting in committed to serving people, disruption of service in uMlazi the welfare of our residents and pockets of contractors, have we will not tolerate people has taken this long.” their livelihoods. indeed ushered in change who call themselves forums She said as an effort to We have a responsibility as in the lives of many of our yet disrupt services in the accelerate Radical Economic the Municipality to elevate people. We are beaming with communities. Such people Transformation (RET) the the interests of our residents optimism, in that gradually, we will face the law. No services Municipality took a decision above everything else. will make a colossal dent on will be obstructed by greedy to outsource the collection of However, we will definitely the scourge of inequality that is people who want to satisfy refuse to local businesses, but support RET initiatives where plaguing our country,” he said. their gluttonous desires. People

“KEEPING YOU IN THE KNOW” www.durban.gov.za AFRICAN CITIES CONTINUE TO ENDEAVOR IN BOLSTERING URBAN SAFETY COLLECTIVE information listed what has been achieved sharing among African thus far including Council cities was cited as pivotal approving cooperation between in strengthening safer cities institutions of higher learning practices in order to realise and the Municipality as well urban safety goals at the as the commencement of Africa Forum for Urban Safety engagements to develop the (AFUS) Bureau meeting. The Safety Curriculum and Lab. meeting was held at the Inkosi Shembe also highlighted some Albert Luthuli International of the findings that emerged Convention Centre on 27 and from the safety audit, listing 28 June. drugs and alcohol as some of During the event, held in the main concerns. partnership by the City and “Easily available drugs and key stakeholders including alcohol is still one of the most AFUS member cities and concerning challenges in our Acting eThekwini Mayor Fawzia Peer speaking at the Africa Forum UN Habitat, various points communities,” said Shembe. for Urban Safety Bureau meeting held at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli including the report on the Coordinator for the Safer Cities International Convention Centre on 27 and 28 June. AFUS strategic plan, the Programme within UN Habitat, forum’s legal framework, as Juma Assiago, spoke on the well as the learning exchange towards the realisation of 2030 further improve through role of the City in addressing were presented. goals which include safety, such knowledge exchange crime, violence and insecurity. Acting eThekwini Mayor inclusivity, resilience and and lesson learning,” said “Safety is a key driver of the Fawzia Peer, acting in sustainability. Councillor Peer. urban development agenda and her capacity as the AFUS “A particular focus in this Senior Manager for the safety is currently a hot topic Chairperson opened the regard is the effectiveness Safer Cities Unit Nomusa which is why we hope that meeting by highlighting the of our municipal integrated Shembe, while presenting the guidelines in this forum Municipality’s significant development plans that on the City Safety Audit and will be adopted into regional contribution of resources we seek to review and the City Safety Laboratory, guidelines,” said Assiago.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION TO BRIDGE ECONOMIC MARGINALISATION

DEVELOPING a broader and where understanding of what attendees were provided with EThekwini democracy means and what insight on officials public Municipality it entails was the focal participation experiences and officials and various theme of the second Durban given an understanding of how stakeholders who International Conference on theory relates to its practice. presented at the Public Participation held The City in association with second Durban at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli the Durban University and International International Convention Centre Technology (DUT) has enabled Conference on 18 and 19 June. 600 employees to study on Public The two-day conference towards a Higher Diploma in Participation. provided a platform to discuss Public Administration with the theoretical and practical a specialisation in Public Participation Training Professor Sibusiso Moyo said: implications of addressing Participation. This successful Programme in partnership with “We are highly in support of economic marginalisation, programme has effectively DUT was that our employees this collaboration with the economic exclusion and how impacted on two percent of the should receive appropriate City. We view the role of this public participation can help City’s workforce providing them accredited qualifications and conference as bridging the bridge the divide. with analytical abilities and gain a thorough understanding gap between organisations and The Municipality welcomed practical skills aimed at public of the importance of public universities. It brings together researchers and academics participation. participation in the deepening practitioners with experience from France, Italy, Nigeria, EThekwini Acting Mayor and strengthening of South and the universities’ theoretical India, Germany, the United Fawzia Peer said: “The aim Africa’s democracy.” addition to collaborate and States, the United Kingdom of undertaking the Public DUT Deputy Vice-Chancellor produce new knowledge.”

2 ETHEKWINI WEEKLY BULLETIN ISSUE 172 www.durban.gov.za BUILDING A SAFE GLEBELANDS

RESIDENTS from the Electricity-To beef up safety for Glebelands Community residents, the Electricity Unit Residential Unit (CRU) are will be adding floodlights to steadily moving towards their dark areas of Glebelands. dream of living in a dignified Parks, Recreation and Culture- and secure environment. Every five weeks, the unit The Glebelands CRU, ensures that the grass within which is located in uMlazi, the CRU is cut. The unit has accommodates over 22 000 plans to add a swimming pool residents compromising of that will cost R50 000 as well men, women and children. as an outdoor gym facility. Over the years, the Safer Cities (Crime Prevention) deterioration of the CRU has -The Metro Police have been Glebelands Community Residential Unit Manager Thabani gained the Municipality’s deployed to work 24 hour shifts Nyawose showed Municipal officials, including City Manager attention resulting in various and send out patrol cars every Sipho Nzuza the newly built flats in the area. departments being deployed hour to monitor the area. to provide services to improve Disaster Management residents’ living conditions. It and Emergency Control-In has been two years since the Roads and Stormwater- After Saturday. 2017, six dome pan–tilt– deployment of services and conducting inspections around Housing -To date, the Human zoom cameras and 44 box eThekwini City Manager Sipho the community residence, Settlements Unit has built surveillance cameras with Nzuza along with Municipal Roads and Stormwater officials 32 new units for residents connections to the SAPS officials last week led an reported 110 manholes, which with plans to revamp existing help desk were installed. The inspection to gauge the work have been fixed. buildings. installation of these cameras that has been done as well as Cleansing and Solid Waste Water and Sanitation-Over has proved successful as identify other areas of concern -The unit has an integrated the next 12 months, the unit criminal activities have been to be addressed. approach together with the hopes to divide the bathrooms captured. Suspects were Thus far, the City has rendered Human Settlements Unit and and renovate the lavatories by arrested and firearms have the following services to has ensured that waste gets adding new toilets, showers been recovered from people residents; collected every Thursday and and new water pipes. who looked suspicious.

SIGMA BUSINESS PARK NEARS COMPLETION THE Cornubia precinct has loading purposes. These units become a hub of economic will accommodate a wide range The almost activity with a growing number of uses including warehousing, complete Sigma of businesses located in the services and light industrial, Business Park, node. distribution, manufacturing, located in the Currently there is another logistics and showrooms. Cornubia node, private investment being Due to the project scale and is expected to developed in the node which impact, Sigma Park is one of contribute vastly will bring communities closer the developments that has to local economic to job opportunities, affordable benefited from the Municipal- growth. trading units and contribute to ity’s Economic Development local economic growth. Incentive Policy this year which Construction of the Sigma offers a rates rebates in order economy needs it the most. sectors.” Business Park which is located to encourage businesses to ex- From the City’s point of view, it Head of the Municipality’s within the newly established pand and grow within the City. will increase the revenue base Human Settlements Unit Cornubia Industrial Business Dr Ajiv Maharaj, Deputy Head by adding 5 245 square metres Lawrence Pato said: “With Cor- started in July last year and is of the Municipality’s Economic of ratable industrial buildings nubia being the largest sustain- about 95 percent complete. Development and Investment and provide approximately 10 able mixed-use development It is expected to be up and Promotion Unit said: “The permanent jobs.” in the province, the aim was running by August. development activated local Developer of Sigma Park, for the node to attract as many The business park will provide economic impact as it drew George Koumantarakis of retail and industrial facilities 30 double-storey units that are temporary labour of 60 jobs Koumantarakis Group of as possible for communities 180 square meters each. The from the area during the Companies said businesses to access jobs and business units are innovatively designed construction phase. It also have already shown an interest opportunities closer to home. to allow vehicles requiring stimulated the economy further in the development. “Secured We are happy the development height clearance to be able to by providing private capital occupiers are from automotive, is living up to its vision.” drive in for uploading and off- expenditure at a time when the clothing and coffee roasting

ISSUE 172 ETHEKWINI WEEKLY BULLETIN 3 www.durban.gov.za SERVICE DELIVERY SARS services offered at LEARNING EXCHANGE Sizakala Centres THE South African Revenue Services (SARS) will be operating from selected Sizakala Customer Service Centres from 8 July. SARS will assign its Mobile Tax Unit with trained staff to the centres where they will render tax-related services. This emanated from a need for Sizakala Customer Services to provide this service to the public. EThekwini Municipality aims to provide access to services provided by SARS to areas closer to the community, affording SARS with a platform to expand and improve on the delivery of its services to residents. This agreement will see eThekwini residents and the public in general, who EThekwini’s Head of Governance and International Relations Eric Apelgren, centre, with officials from the need tax-related services, Chris Hani District Municipality. The delegation visited the City on a two-day learning exchange programme. benefiting. The tax-related services to be offered include; OFFICIALS from the Chris Hani emphasised that eThekwini is department in coordinating all • Tax registrations, District Municipality attended committed to good governance communications activities for • Completion and a two-day knowledge exchange and accountability. Council. submission of tax returns, programme on 24 and 25 June The City’s Water and Chris Hani District • Submission of pay you to learn more about eThekwini Sanitation (EWS) Deputy Municipality Senior Manager earn reconciliations and Municipality service delivery Head Aaron Mfunda presented from the Office of the Speaker EasyFile assistance, operations. the City’s plans on providing Nozibele Makanda said • Statements of accounts, The study tour focused mainly effective, affordable and the delegation was highly • General enquiries and, on the role the Municipal sustainable water services impressed with the study • Changes to registered Public Committee (MPAC) to its residents. He said the tour, adding that the team particulars. plays in curbing wasteful department’s philosophy is will continue to engage with The services will be offered expenditure, the City’s complex to invest in human resources eThekwini to implement from 8 July at the following water management operations which enhanced service its ideas and strategies. Sizakala Centres; and customer services centres. delivery. Mfunda said the “Although we are a rural • On the second Monday EThekwini’s Head of City has a 24-hour call district, the learning exchange of the month at MegaCity Governance and International centre including a WhatsApp, has shown us the parallels Sizakala Centre in uMlazi Relations Eric Apelgren SMS and email service for and programmes we can use and, Mnini Thusong Centre explained the structures within customers. for future partnerships,” said in Umnini /Mgababa. Council, with reference to The visiting delegation also Makanda. • On the fourth Monday of the role of the City Manager showed a keen interest in Day two of the study tour the month in Mpumalanga and the reporting structures learning about the City’s concluded with site visits to Sizakala Centres in the of the executive committee. communications platforms. The EWS headquarters and two Mpumalanga Township/ Other topics covered were the Communications Unit Acting Sizakala Customer Services Hammarsdale and positive impact of the City’s Head Mandla Nsele showcased Centres in uMlazi. Verulam Sizakala Centre in Ombudsman Office and the the 11 communication tools Verulam. purpose of war rooms. Apelgren and described the role of the

EDITORIAL TEAM If you would like to submit feedback or ACTING EDITOR: Mandla Nsele • CONTENT EDITOR: Nondumiso Mathomane contribute to eThekwini Weekly Bulletin WRITERS: Charmel Payet, Sanelisiwe Shandu, Nonhlanhla Mkhabela, Carly Abdul-Rasheed, Email: [email protected] Nonduduzo Ngcongo and Jessie Singh.• PHOTOGRAPHERS: Pumla Khwela, Mpumelelo Makhaye and Busiswa Chiliza • DESIGN AND LAYOUT: Zimana Bashe