Senior Officials from eThekwini Municipality, led by Mayor Zandile Gumede, today met with representatives from the Chapter Nine Institutions, the Offices of the Public Protector and Human Rights Commission.

 

The meeting was to discuss strategies that have already been implemented post the Public Protector’s Report released in 2017 that recommended that specific actions be taken at Glebelands Hostel to rehabilitate the facility and ensure that people are accommodated in a dignified and secure environment.

 

After a fruitful and successful engagement, several recommendations were put forward and it was agreed that these would be implemented as a matter of urgency in order to ensure effective service delivery in Glebelands.

 

The recommendations include;

 

•EThekwini Municipality officials will meet on monthly basis to give status updates on progress made on rehabilitation work being done at Glebelands.

 

•The Municipality will convene quarterly meetings with all relevant stakeholders to give feedback on the progress made and discuss concerns by residents.

 

•The Chairperson of the Human Settlement and Infrastructure Committee, Cllr Mondli Mthembu will appoint one Councillor from the Committee who will monitor work being done and exercise an oversight role.

 

•EThekwini Municipality will forward quarterly reports to the Public Protector’s Office for their update.

 

•EThekwini Municipality will host a stakeholders’ engagement before the end of April with all interested social groups and the community of Glebelands to bring them on board about developments happening in their area.

 

•EThekwini Municipality will conduct an extensive Education Campaign to inform residents about the work being done at Glebelands Hostel and the role that they can play to ensure that the infrastructure and equipment brought in is not vandalised.

 

•The collaboration between all stakeholders will be strengthened in order to ensure effective and efficient service delivery and the improvement of safety and security at Glebelands Hostel.

 

Mayor Zandile Gumede expressed her gratitude to the representatives from the Institutions. “I would like sincerely thank you for engaging with us on this matter. We value the work that you do and understand fully well your oversight role and responsibility, as mandated by the Constitution. As the Mayor, I commit that I will personally spearhead the project to rehabilitate Glebelands Hostel. We will also collaboratively engage with all relevant stakeholders to keep them updated until the project comes to completion. It is worth noting that rehabilitation has already commenced and we are committed to seeing the complete rehabilitation of the facility. ” said Gumede.

 

ENDS

 

Issued by eThekwini Municipality’s Communications Unit. For more information contact the Acting Head of Communications Unit on 083 308 2639.

 

 

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