Service delivery needs attention
RESIDENTS of Mobeni Heights are fed up with the municipality’s empty promises about service- delivery issues.
They have expressed concern about the number of problems, including water leaks and pipe breaks, illegal dumping and necessity for speed bumps.
The chairman of the Mobeni Heights Civic Association, Devan Pillay, said residents were concerned over the poor service delivery which had been a problem for at least four years.
“If one drives through the area, it is evident service delivery is non-existent. It is sad that these matters have been going on since 2012 and problems are now mounting.
“During an 18-month period there have been 48 reports of burst pipes in 10 different streets. This, in turn, loses millions of rands’ worth of water for the city, and it is not good in a time of drought,” said Pillay.
He added that pipes needed to be relaid for the problem to be solved.
“Mobeni Heights has become a neglected area and it is time that the city assisted us in resolving our concerns,” he said.
Kay Pillay, a resident of Mobeni Heights for 45 years, said the area had changed drastically over the years.
“The issues are increasing and it has severe health implications for us in terms of water leaks and dumping. We have approached the city workers and had several meetings with various stakeholders, but not much has been done to restore the area to its former glory.”
Aside from the burst water pipes, another concern was the puddles of water which Denzil Devan said were a driving hazard and caused traffic delays.
“These issues are out of control and we are tired of officials promising action and not delivering.
“The safety of children has also been a concern as there is a lack of speed bumps and many motorists tend to speed.
“If nothing is done soon by officials, we will be forced to take alternative action,” he said.
Head of communications for eThekwini Municipality Tozi Mthethwa said the matter had been addressed by the relevant unit previously, but the problem was a recurring one.
“The city’s coastal and drainage team has been on-site and cleared the blocked stormwater lines. The relevant unit’s technical team has been tasked to investigate the recurrence of the blockage and resolve it.
“We are aware of the water leaks and are in the process of repairing them.
“Inspections revealed that there is a problem with the pressure reducing valves (PVR). When we inspected the pipework upstream and down- stream of the PRV we found it corroded – it requires complete replacement from the main.
“It was also found that the PRV itself needed replacement. These will be replaced soon,” Mthethwa said.