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Editorial: Listen to the people

Kennedy Mudzuli

Kennedy Mudzuli

Doing things that they are comfortable with seems to be the strategy adopted by the City of Johannesburg and its service providers. Let’s count them.
City Power is inspecting and installing geyser control equipment. The utility stated in its information letter that it ‘has the right to install and operate such geyser control equipment at its customers’ premises. Property owners may apply to be excluded from having a geyser control relay installed whereupon a fixed rate exclusion fee will apply’.

On learning about the proposed rates boycott, municipal spokesman Virgil James warned residents against taking part and said,”If we are failing to deliver services, residents have a right to be upset, but this can be discussed and resolved.”

A ward councillor sent us a photo of municipal sub-contractors taking a nap near a hole they were supposed to be fixing. Down the same road there was another hole, but this was not fixed when they woke up because it was not on their list of things to do.

Back to the geyser control mechanism, City Power will be able to remotely switch off geysers between 7am to 10am and 6pm and 8pm in order to minimise power failures. Although a good move, this may leave larger households without hot water and therefore should have been debated before implementation.

The message is clear: boycott the rates and you will face credit control measures. Report a dangerous pothole and it will not be fixed unless it’s on the ‘to do’ list. Tamper with geyser control equipment and risk being slapped with a R2 000 fine or six months jail term. This is because the city council can and will if it wants to.

But how about city council listening to the other side and doing what the people want for a change?
kennedym@caxton.co.za

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Kennedy Mudzuli