Durban — The Co-ordinator Street Committees 4092 in Chatsworth have written a letter to eThekwini mayor Mxolisi Kaunda complaining about their areas being “absolutely filthy”.
The letter, headlined “Chatsworth is filthy - Durban is filthy”, signed by more than 200 residents from six wards (69, 70, 71, 72, 73 and 77), stated that streets, traffic circles, sports fields, parks, shopping areas, and municipal buildings were full of filth.
This included litter, uncollected refuse bags, overgrown grass and bush, unkempt road verges, leaking water pipes, dug up pavements and drains overflowing with sewage.
According to the letter, the community of Chatsworth pays almost R2 billion annually to the eThekwini coffers.
“Please do not find funding as an excuse. The filth is a major concern amongst residents and all the ratepayers of Chatsworth.
“We do see groups of people in DSW (Durban Solid Waste) outfits who are assigned to clean and maintain the area. However, their work is questionable.
“We need not emphasise to you how filth attracts an increase in the number of monster-size rats and snakes found in our area.
“The overgrown bushes are hives for thieves and the ‘parasites’ to thrive in,” the letter read.
It cited non-collection of refuse bags by DSW as a huge contributor to the increase in large piles of rubbish on the roadside.
“We do understand that this is partly a community problem and call upon our community to ensure that their property and neighbourhood is kept clean and tidy at all times. However, the poor maintenance of the verges, the irregular grass cutting, and irregularities in refuse collection was troubling.”
Mayoral spokesperson Mluleki Mntungwa said the mayor’s office had launched the clean-up campaign in the city to focus on the issues mentioned above.
“This campaign is aimed at focusing on various issues, such as overgrown verges, trees, fixing of potholes, water, sewer leaks and clearing illegal dumping sites,” said Mntungwa.
He urged communities to work with them in ensuring that the areas are well taken care of.
“Cleaning the city is a collective responsibility,” Mntungwa said.
During a joint media briefing on Thursday, mayor Kaunda said their teams were on the ground identifying challenges in other precincts, particularly in the secondary CBDs.
Daily News