Seeking an audience with the mayor

HONOURABLE mayor of eThekwini,

Mxolisi Kaunda we respectfully invite you to an urgent engagement with the oThongathi Disaster Relief Task Team and Civic structures to:

1. Get first-hand information of the city’s strategy to restore water in oThongathi.

2. Discuss the lack of co-ordination in deployment of water resources (tankers).

3. Understand the timelines for the various interventions designed to mitigate the pain and suffering of the community.

Your worship, the social contract empowered through franchise guarantees the protection to life, liberty and property of citizens.

At present, the city is failing in the first instance by not being able to deliver on the basic need of water provision.

Had it not been for civil society response, many vulnerable and indigent people would have perished.

It’s been 22 days without water and we have not seen or heard of any form of assurances from the city that the plight of the people of oThongathi is being addressed with any sense of urgency.

Our community has a rich Struggle history.

We fought against apartheid and helped to defeat it.

If it means we must rise against the incompetence and heartlessness of the city, then we are ready to do so.

All tiers of government have failed to understand it is elected to serve the people, and that leaders must account to the people.

The government seems to believe that it is doing people a favour. Let’s throw that misinformed notion out the window.

We have made a sincere and civil call to Your Worship, our first citizen, for a meaningful engagement.

We trust that our plea will be received with the respect and urgency it deserves.

LOGAN NAIDOO | oThongathi