The DA in eThekwini today calls on the Head of Parks, Recreation and Culture Department, Dr. Simphiwe Ndlovu to urgently address staff shortages and lack of resources within this department in preparation of the festive season.
This follows the DA’s oversight visit to the District Two, Parks Department that services the entire of Phoenix, Inanda, Mount Royal and Mount Moriah.
A shortage of staff has been a thorn in the department’s side for many years now. District Two that is originally supposed to have a staff compliment of approximately 270 personnel are now a mere 185 strong. The staff simply cannot compete with the increasing demand for basic services like grass cutting and tree pruning among others.
The” tree felling” department has one operational truck and has a backlog of 1800 complaints for Phoenix alone. Vacancies within the department were not advertised and finally fell on deaf ears when brought to the attention of senior management.
The main contributing factor to the inefficiencies of District Two is lack of resources and failure in efficient management.
These range from theft of equipment (stolen, vandalised or broken) to delays in the Supply Chain Management (SCM) process. This equipment cannot be replaced (if stolen) as there is NO INSURANCE presently which covers this. Trucks and vehicles are lying for months on end at the workshop, allegedly waiting for parts. 10 trucks are assigned to the depot but only three are operational. Four senior staff are sharing one vehicle for oversite duties. One law enforcement officer to service Phoenix, Inanda and surrounds is a task too big for any one person.
The DA will continue exposing and fighting for measures to address these glaring challenges as we head into the festive period. It is disheartening to see how the ANC-run municipality has turned this city that was once booming with potential into a state of collapse.