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 Sihle Zikalala 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 Kwazi Mshengu, 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 Peggy Nkonyeni, 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 South Africa 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–