Infrastructure

417 informal settlement residents in 81 settlements in eThekwini share their experience of the Metro’s response to the floods. They report that, in most cases, the damage to taps and toilets has not been repaired. While they wait for these repairs, the Metro has also provided limited emergency water and almost no emergency sanitation.

We are excited to publish results from the first round of the revamped Asivikelane Western Cape pilot. This initiative will deepen the engagement between informal settlement residents and government in the Stellenbosch and Knysna municipalities specifically.

These two data releases highlight the needs identified by residents themselves. Residents ask for a functional fault reporting system, in Knysna, and regular maintenance and repairs in Stellenbosch. This will inform the agenda of upcoming engagements with these municipalities.

Asivikelane reports that metros keep installing but not maintaining and repairing taps and toilets, meaning that informal settlement residents continue to be without adequate services.

The recent events in South Africa have clearly highlighted the fact that many communities are disillusioned and frustrated by a government that seemingly does not care. Asivikelane says that this perception can be changed if municipalities start with small actions like fixing taps and toilets.

Asivikelane reports 45% of residents say that when a tap or toilet breaks, they are never fixed. Another 30% say that it takes longer than a week for maintenance to happen. We don’t yet know why. But here are some elements of the puzzle.