In a move towards addressing service delivery concerns, eThekwini City Manager Musa Mbhele on Tuesday, conducted an unannounced visit to the uMlazi Roads and Stormwater Depot.
The visit forms part of a broader campaign to boost performance of municipal workers, the City said.
The municipality said, accompanied by executives from the municipality’s Human Capital Unit, Mbhele engaged directly with depot staff to gain first-hand insight into the challenges affecting the quality of basic services delivered to communities.
“This is part of our zero-tolerance approach to non-service delivery, which is affecting performance,” said Mbhele. “The primary aim is to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of service delivery by addressing root causes and fostering a more responsive and accountable system.
The uMlazi depot services areas, including uMlazi, Isipingo, Malukazi, and Lamontville, offering critical functions such as road maintenance, stormwater management, pothole repairs, traffic signage, and open drain cleaning.
Mbhele said that as the City’s Accounting Officer, he is committed to ensuring that departments function efficiently and cohesively while ensuring the workforce receives the necessary support to provide quality services.
The visit revealed several operational challenges including infrastructure issues, human resources concerns, and delays caused by overlapping departmental roles.
To address these, the City committed to streamlining internal processes and reinforcing departmental accountability.
It was agreed that the Roads and Stormwater Department will assume full control of its relevant service areas to improve turnaround times.
Depot Superintendent Moses Cele welcomed the surprise visit.
“It was an engaging exercise that helps leadership understand our day-to-day work and challenges,” said Cele. “When management sees the reality on the ground, it brings hope to the teams and ensures that the right support systems can be put in place. We remain committed to providing services to communities.”
The City confirmed that a detailed intervention plan and a follow-up report-back session would be scheduled to track progress.
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