Addressing Hornlee service delivery
KNYSNA - Key stakeholders came together on 7 February to address the concerns raised by the residents of Hornlee regarding the issue of inadequate service delivery in the community.
The meeting, held between Hornleebased community organisation Knysna United and Knysna Municipality, aimed to find effective solutions to the water supply and refuse collection issues that have plagued the community over the past year. The municipality acknowledged the dissatisfaction of the residents and committed to taking action to improve the situation.
Addressing water supply
The critical issue of water supply was highlighted and several measures were identified to address the problem. Firstly, a new pipe system will be installed to connect the Fisher Haven reservoir to the Bigai reservoir, ensuring improved water flow and retention capacity. This enhancement is set to be completed by the end of February.
Additionally, the Bigai pump station will undergo restoration to full operational capacity. This will involve fixing the pipeline and fitting a new control box, with a target completion date of 21 February. Moreover, a new pipeline will be connected from the vigilance drive pump station to increase water capacity to the Sunridge reservoir.
Short-term measures
In the short term, while these projects are underway, the municipality plans to strategically place various 85k-litre tanks in the affected areas. These tanks will be regularly filled by trucks. Furthermore, the municipality has presented a water resilience plan to the provincial government, ensuring long-term sustainability in addressing waterrelated challenges.
To prevent sabotage, tamper-proof lids will be fitted at three reservoirs in Hornlee, equipped with state-of-the-art padlocks.
Additionally, where there are no generators, lithium-ion batteries will be installed to provide backup power in case of load shedding.
Refuse
The meeting also addressed concerns regarding refuse collection in Knysna.
Acknowledging that the compactor mpactor trucks are old and need to be e replaced, the municipality expressed its s intention to explore purchasing new trucks ucks if funds become available in the new financial year.
The municipality also recognised gnised that emptying trucks at the landfill fill site in Mossel Bay is time-consuming, and committed to identifying open space for a local landfill site in Knysna.
In the interim, the municipality ality will investigate the possibility of involving local contractors in the removal oval of household refuse. The MMC C for Community Service and his team will work together to find short-term solutions while progress is made towards a long-term resolution.
The meeting concluded with h an agreement to hold a follow-up w- meeting to address outstanding ing issues. The municipality pledged to maintain ntain regular communication with the delegation egation from Knysna United and provide updates on the progress made in restoring uninterrupted ninterrupted water flow to Hornlee.
These measures, both short-term t- and longterm, aim to restore the residents' dents' confidence in the municipality's ability to o fulfil their basic needs and uphold their constitutional rights.