'How did Gwamanda arrive at 68% delivery success?'

Johannesburg mayor Kabelo Gwamanda in his state of the city address last week rated the service delivery in the metro at a staggering 68%.

Gwamanda who was reflecting on the work done by the city said his administration had made headway in delivering services to the people.

He said the metro’s efforts “centre on sustainability, and we have achieved noteworthy progress in improving access to basic services in informal settlements, efficiently managing waste and advancing infrastructure development”. 

“Our initiatives targeting housing, electricity, water and sanitation, as well as overall environmental health, have produced tangible outcomes that positively impact countless households within our city,” he said. 

Sowetan hit the streets of Johannesburg and spoke to residents about service delivery.

We asked if they agreed with Gwamanda's rating and if not, what rating they would give the city.

Mbongiseni Hlatswayo, 40, of Finetown, said: "The mayor must be delusional. Maybe he drives on different roads than us and lives in a different town. Our roads are riddled with potholes, our vehicles constantly have damage because of the potholes. Do not get me started on the constructions that have taken years to complete. Road works along Phillip Street in Finetown are still incomplete four years down the line and three contractors later,

"He must come to Finetown and show us the 68% that he is talking about. The services in this City are sitting at 10%."

Ayanda Khuboni, 31, of Westbury, said: "I rate them just below 10. They can't even get the basics right. Traffic lights never work in some intersections and we would be stuck in traffic with JMPD [Johannesburg Metro Police Department] cars who ironically drive past the homeless guy who is navigating traffic when they should be doing that.

"Many of our townships are covered in filth and what about the never ending gang wars in Westbury. All people ever get are visits from officials after people have died. The municipality has a community safety portfolio and I am not sure what it is that they do."

Zwivhuya Makhwathana, 30, of Diepsloot, said: "How did he get to 68% when our sewage pipes are always leaking and never get repaired. We are experiencing water cuts. Driving on the roads is like playing a game of navigators as we try and avoid the potholes. 30% is what they ge. The people of Diepsloot aren't getting much services."

Joyce Peterson, 36, of Windsor East said: "I am quite happy with the services we get. Yes, the roads have potholes here and there but my family and I get everything that we need - water, electricity and waste collection – even though load shedding is an issue but that is not a municipal problem. I score them 89%."

Musa Lebea, 34, of Diepsloot said: "You can literally start a garden in the potholes. Our street lights do not work. He gets a 20% from me."

Edward Zwane, 64, of Pimville said: "Our townships are so neglected. They are filthy and the roads not maintained. There is a huge difference in services between suburbs and townships. Street lights do not work, water cuts are also an issue. They are failing black people in a lot of ways. I give them 50%."

Annette Suremann, 50, of Linden, said: "I would rate them 40-45%. The billing system is a mess. We are overcharged . The maintenance of infrastructure is poor which leads to constant issues such as water leaks and prolonged power outages. The response to maintenance problems also takes time to be attended to."

Vusimuzi Radebe, 44, of Braamfontein, said: "68% is just a dream for metro with such a high influx of people. People keep flocking to Johannesburg while development is stagnant and infrastructure is not upgraded. The inner city decay and filth, monumental areas such as Newtown that were known to be home of the arts are now dead because of neglect. You cannot even sit on the grass and read a book like before. 49% is the score I give. There is more that can be done."

Refiloe Mohafa, 30, of Braamfontein, said: "I give them 40%. Rates and taxes are so high. We also experience a lot of cable theft, which begs the question, why aren't they pumping in resources to guard the infrastructure because they are losing more money trying to repair instead of trying to prevent the incidents. The constant power cuts are affecting the local economy and this is an economic hub."

Khumo Modise, 28, of  Alexandra, said: "Maybe the 68% is for the people of Sandton. The main road into Alex is rotten with potholes, so bad that cars need to drive on oncoming traffic to avoid the mess. I will give them 30% for water and electricity."