30-05-2025
uMhlathuze leaders summoned to Empangeni public meeting over unresolved service delivery issues
Key leaders from the City of uMhlathuze have been summoned to the next Ward 23 public meeting in Empangeni.
The upcoming meeting scheduled for Wednesday, 4 June at 6pm, to be held at the Empangeni SME One Stop Shop at 44 Turnbull Street, has been arranged by Cllr Andre de Lange following a heated meeting with over 80 fuming residents on 15 May.
Many expressed outrage over long-standing, unresolved issues, calling for the mayor and city manager to answer.
'At every meeting, the same problems are discussed, the list gets longer and the problems aren't resolved. What are we paying rates for?' asked Renzo Perini, who has lived in the town since 1950.
He said how Union Street has become a urinal and that he has to remove faeces from his place of work.
'We keep on paying, but there's no efficiency, no productivity. Now the management must be taken to task,' he said.
'We need all the responsible people who have the authority, to come and respond to us,' said Sboniso Xulu.
'We need a management plan,' urged Adri Mansvelder.
Some of the complaints include:
· Persistent electricity outages and water cuts, often patched up instead of long-term fixes
· Municipal contractors need to be properly trained, particularly with water pipe fixes and electricity problems at main substations
· Potholes and faded road markings
· Lack of traffic officers to manage violations such as drivers racing down Paul Avenue
· Vagrants digging in bins
· Lack of service delivery: overgrown areas and uncut grass (with cutting collection routinely delayed), broken glass and litter in public areas
· Old Empangeni graveyard needs to be fenced properly
· Construction work lagging on Commercial Road outside Empangeni Library
· Better service delivery in Richards Bay compared to Empangeni
· Public drinking rampant and by-laws ignored, with a call for placing signage banning alcohol use in public areas
· Natural heritage destroyed by residents cutting down old trees (some 100 years old) on pavements
· Rampant crime
· Lack of accountability: no follow-up from prior complaints
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