On Friday 6 November in my capacity as Executive Mayor I re-initiated the Service
Delivery War Room.
Historically, the War Room provided a crucial mechanism in which departments would
account directly to the political leadership on their operational performance pertaining
to core service delivery.
This structure was introduced by my predecessor, Solly Msimanga, and it became a
critical mechanism to engage directly with the operational staff involved in frontline
service delivery.
Unfortunately, when the city was dissolved by the ANC provincial government and
administrators were deployed, they chose to abandon the service delivery war room.
In doing so they effectively removed significant oversight on the city’s core business.
This resulted in a rapid and visible decline in the quality of service delivery in the capital city at a time when residents needed it most during the hard lockdown.
The administrators undid and neglected all the work and tracking that had been put in
place to monitor the city’s performance on basic service delivery.
I have now given instruction that this structure will meet weekly and will report back
directly to the political leadership.
The strategic focus is clear, I have instructed departments to start tracking and
reporting on the following:
- Current operational status of streetlights and the city’s overall level of illumination
- Operations deployed to deal with illegal dumping and prosecution of offenders
- Removal of illegal electricity connections and the mechanisms utilised to protect the electrical grid
- Response times in the repair and maintenance of malfunctioning traffic lights and the filling of potholes
- Anti-cable theft operations
- Responses times to electricity outages and water pipe bursts
- Reporting on grass cutting and park maintenance
- Management of costs such as overtime to ensure optimal operational efficiency.
A mayoral dashboard has been implemented to track these and other crucial
deliverables so that I hold officials to account on their performance and provide
feedback to you, the residents of this city.
These actions speak to a number of interventions contained in my strategic plan to
turnaround the city, namely:
- Prioritisation of the electrical grid and water infrastructure
- Creating a reliable waste and refuse removal service
- Maintain and expand road infrastructure
- Provide stringent financial management and oversight
- Enhancing city safety and emergency services
In achieving these goals I will ensure that I work closely with members of mayoral
committee. In particular, MMC for Utilities and the Regional Operations and
Coordination, Cllr Phillip Nel will play a crucial role in this.
With his extensive professional experience in engineering, I have no doubt we will see
change in the quality of service delivery in the city